Bible of the Soul: Book of the Living and Dead
by StarRose
Summary: unfinished: Summary for ch 13: The Ring. Ghost!Draco decides to take Harry down to the Lake to see if he remembers anything, while past!Draco gets a very nice surprise from Harry. AU,supernatural, HarryDraco
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed within this fanfiction belong to JK Rowling etc etc anything else I need to say to make it legal blah blah blah.

**Summery: **In the year 1099, the end of the Dark Ages brought forth another sad ending, for when his lover was murdered, Prince Draco had nothing left to live for and took his own life. Now his spirit walks the castle that was his home, and waits to meet the reincarnation of his true love. 906 years later, the castle is now a boarding school, and when a young man with his lovers' looks and name makes an appearance, a love story begins that proves that even death cannot keep apart those destined to be together. SLASH Draco/Harry.

**Genre:** Romance and lots of it, with dashes of angst, and a touch of comedy. I can't write without putting some comedy bits in, it's just my style.

**Warnings and other notes about the story: **This is SLASH between Harry and Draco, so please don't bother flaming if you're against it, because it will be ignored and laughed at that you can't read warnings. It's very possible at some points they may seem OOC, but I hate it when that happens so I'll try not to, but there are going to be quite a few lovey bits in this as Draco is completely head over heals in love with Harry :) Plus it is an AU remember. It is set not in the magical world but in every day to day life, and more importantly the afterlife, so things will be different so please keep that in mind. Oh yeah, and a warning for eventually sap hehe, I love sap.

So, like the idea of Ghosts and Angels and a love that neither Heaven nor Hell can break? Read on!

----

**Bible of the Soul:**

**Book of the Living and Dead**

27th December 2005  
By StarRose

----

"_I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side as a condemned soul, than enter heaven without you."_ – from the movie Wo Hu Cang Long.

**Prologue**

_**An extract from the journal of Prince Draco Malfoy, December 27th, 1099**_

_He's dead. _

_And so is my soul._

_-----_

_**906 years later…**_

"Is it possible to fall in love with a guy in your dreams? It's the same dream every time; me, him, we kiss, I feel…just… really in love, then there's this dark shadow between us and everything fades to black and I feel really depressed when I wake up, like I've been missing something my whole life and never found it. Nothing ever changes. I just wish I knew what it meant."

Harry Potter, a 20 year old student of Hogwarts School of British History, sat on a large deep red leather chair staring at the cream coloured ceiling above him. The room was quiet, the only sound being the faint ticking of a clock on the mantel piece above the open fireplace, and the occasional twittering of birds outside the opened window.

Hogwarts was a large ancient castle turned boarding school in the highlands of Scotland. It was a college focusing on students who had a strong interest in studying the ancient history of Britain, either for archeological purposes or any other career move they were thinking of taking.

"Seamus thinks I'm dreaming of a past life, but then he would, considering he believes this place was full of wizards and witches and all that occult stuff hundreds of years ago. But please, I mean, I know I only recently admitted to myself that I liked guys," Harry said, running a frustrated hand through his hair, "but dreaming I'm in a relationship with a Prince in the last year of the Dark Ages? What the heck is that about? It always feels so real."

In contrast to the old room with golden tinted walls, the room was covered with large metal bookcases crammed full of complicated looking science books and reference papers. An equally modern and out of place looking metal desk lay underneath the one window, pens and rulers lying scattered around a closed laptop, and a pile of papers rustling gently in the breeze to one side. An old copper paperweight in the shape of a bowler hat was the only thing keeping the papers down, and a stained white lab coat hung on a coat stand to one side.

"I mean I've always had this dream on and off all my life, but I've dreamt it every single night since I got here. I don't know, maybe I'm just loosing it in general." Harry sighed and glanced to his right to look at his counselor, "What do you think Hedwig?"

The snowy white owl sitting on the back of the swivel grey chair behind the desk watched Harry curiously with her big round eyes. As usual she just sat there, ruffled her feathers and hooted softly at him.

Harry smiled affectionately at her, "Yeah, thought you might say that."

Suddenly loud footsteps were heard coming towards the closed door, and Hedwig shot up into the air and flew out the window with an annoyed hoot when the door burst open and in stormed Professor Snape.

Professor Snape led a small team of scientists who cleaned and resorted artifacts that were brought back from digs. The man had no interest in History whatsoever, which was probably why he always such a grump, but when it came to the chemistry of restoration without damaging the artifacts, the man was a genius.

Or so the headmaster had told him on the day he came here anyway.

Luckily not many students ever saw him, but for Harry he was, unfortunately, his form tutor. "Potter, feet off," he snapped at Harry who was resting his feet at an angle on the desk, "and if I see that owl in this school one more time I'm going to castrate either it or _you_!" He barked at him when he saw the owl fly away leaving a few feathers by the window sill.

"Sorry sir," Harry said calmly, swinging his legs over and sitting upright, "I guess she likes me."

"Then the bird should be put out of its misery."

Harry had found Hedwig when she was a chick, having injured herself trying to fly out the nest. Harry had found her and taken care of her until her injury had healed, and even though he set her free again, she always seemed to come and visit him.

Harry ignored the usual temper of his form teacher and reached for his glasses that he'd placed on the desk, when Snape suddenly dropped the books he was carrying heavily on the desk and made Harry jump, dropping his glasses on the floor.

"Detention again, you must really enjoy being humiliated. Let's see, how many times is this in the two weeks since you got here? Six? You certainly know how to make a first impression; do you plan on taking a day off from detentions any time soon?" Snape growled at him.

Harry looked blankly at him. It's not like he deliberately got into trouble, trouble just seemed to follow him. Besides it annoyed him that teachers could still give you detentions in this school, he was 20 for heavens sake, you'd think they'd realise if students haven't learnt by now they're not going to. Anyway, none of his detentions so far had even been his fault, things just seemed to happen. He didn't throw that book at Professor Flitwick's back, and the fact that his books disappeared when arriving to every single lesson with Professor Sprout was just weird.

Harry reached down to pick up his glasses off the floor but paused and winced at Snape's shouting voice as pulled back his chair to find Hedwig had left a little surprise for him on the seat. He cursed Harry's friendly little owl, followed by cursing Harry, followed by another threat of being castrated as he grabbed a tissue from his pocket and wiped Hedwig's 'present' off his chair.

As Harry watched rather amused, although willing himself not to smile just in case Snape really did go through with his threat, he didn't notice his glasses as they slowly lifted off the floor, folded neatly, and floated upwards, resting back on the desk at the side.

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes at his teacher as he slammed the window shut, for fear of far worse things to come if he was caught, and reached back down to pick up his glasses, only to find that they weren't there. He blinked at the empty space where he'd seen them fall and glanced around his feet in case he'd kicked them by accident. He looked up frowning and suddenly saw them sitting back on the desk right in front of him.

Harry stared at them, not listening to whatever Snape was yelling at him now, and slowly picked them up. Looking back down at the floor and back at his glasses, he frowned. Maybe he hadn't dropped them? Well he couldn't have. But… he did, didn't he?

He shrugged, oh well.

Placing the glasses back on his nose and turning back to the lecture Snape was giving him on what he was to do for his detention today; Harry wondered where that breeze had come from that had just ruffled his hair, considering Snape had just shut the window, and he absentmindedly rubbed the back of his neck gently and continued to watch his fuming teacher.

For some reason he suddenly felt warm and at ease, the kind of feeling you get when a person you love more than anything else in the world walks into the room. Not that Harry really knew what that felt like, Seamus had always teased him that he had never had a partner in his 20 years. That soft breeze tickled the back of his neck again, and for some unknown reason to Harry, he found himself smiling.

"What's so funny Potter?" Snape glared at him when he saw the student he was supposed to be reprimanding smiling stupidly at him.

"Nothing sir." Harry replied, but the smile didn't leave his face.

----

_**An extract from the journal of Prince Draco Malfoy, 27th December, 2005**_

_He's alive. _

_And so is my soul._

Chapter one coming soon…


	2. Chapter 1: Home

**AN: **Obviously ghosts do not have beating heartbeats or need to breathe, but to describe emotional circumstances in this they shall be used just for the imagery.

**----**

**Chapter 1: Home**

**_14th December 2005 _**

_How many times have I told them to stop with the joking around this time of year? I have no tolerance for those twins, can't they understand I have no interest in laughing at whatever human they've decided to trick this time and just want to be left alone? It's the same thing every year, they may have died a few days after me but they knew me as their Prince! This is my home! This is….. this was Harry's home._

_Why in the name of Heaven did I have to get their idiotic younger brother as my Guiding Angel too? Between all three of them I don't have much of a chance of ever having peace and quiet or ever finding Harry. Ron's had 900 years to get his soul back in this castle and he's so far missed every reincarnation! He's not worth the halo he wears! _

_I hate December; every day that passes brings me closer to the horrible memories of what happened on the 26th, all those years ago. Even though all my memories of my love are here, I just wish December would disappear It's been over 900 years and I still remember that day so vividly, I could never forget it, and I hope Sirius is rotting in hell for murdering him._

Draco paused in his writing, lost in unpleasant memories for a moment, before dibbing the nib of his quill in the small black ink pot to his right, and placing it back to the parchment. He sat there staring at the pages for a moment, before he began to write again.

_I find myself staring at these pages again, wondering how many more times I shall be writing in these journals until I find Harry again. I don't know what will happen when, or even if, I do find him, but I chose to stay here of my own free will, I do not care if I have to wait until the end of time itself if it means I can see him one last time._

_I've spent these first two weeks of December down in Harry's old room now, nothing but my memories and looking through my previous journals from when I was alive. I think I'll stay here until the new year, I have no desire to go back up to the students and the twins, I just want to be left alone with my thoughts, because they're the only things I have left to hold on to._

Draco placed the quill back on the desk and leant back on the large oak chair he was sitting on. He let the ink dry for a few moments, the one candle on the desk flickering gently, before closing his journal and pushing the chair back across the cold stone floor and getting up. He placed his journal on top of another pile of journals resting on the floor in one corner, and decided to look over some more entries of old.

The room itself was old, hundreds of years old, older than Draco's death. The once glorious tapestries that covered the dark stone walls now rotted away, the four poster bed that was once the main pride of the room now dust amongst the cobwebs. The one tiny window in the room at the very top of the wall had long since been blocked by earth and stone, for the room that had once belonged to the Prince's lover had been buried under time itself. No one knew how to get there, no one knew it even existed; it had been forgotten by all except one.

When Draco died, when he came back as a spirit, he had asked the Arch Angel Hermione for one thing. He wanted to continue writing in his journals, something he had always done his whole life, and she had granted his request. She gave him books that would never grow old, gave him a quill that would never turn blunt, an ink pot that would never run out, a desk and chair that would never lose themselves to time, and one ever burning candle. She had told him to keep them in a safe place, on the one condition that no living human must ever find them.

Draco had chosen to keep them in Harry's room, scaring off anyone who dared to come near it, throwing things and generally doing what ghosts do best to keep people away. So, after so many years, no one knew the room existed, it was for Draco alone, and although time seeped away at the items once in the room leaving nothing but cold blank stone in the dark, Draco had never once wished he had chosen somewhere else. This was the room he had spent so much time in, sneaking away from his royal quarters in the in the secret passage way he had told his, once, faithful servant Sirius to construct.

This was Harry's room, the room that held the only happy memories he could say he truly had when alive, and he would never, never, let anyone enter.

"Oi! Oh royal arse, you down here?"

Well, except perhaps for _them_. Keeping living people out wasn't a problem; keeping trouble making twin ghosts who could float through walls was an entirely different matter.

"How many times have I told you to leave me alone when I'm down here?" Draco shot an angry glance up at the torsos of Fred and George Weasley which were currently handing upside down through the ceiling, "And I'm still your Prince, I except some respect."

"Ah so you are down here!" George said ignoring him "Come on, Ron wants to see ya."

"Well unless he has some good news I really _don't_ want to see him." Draco said annoyed, flicking through a journal he'd just pulled out third from the top pile.

"I think it is, he says he wants to know how you're getting on with 'him' here." Fred said, shrugging.

Draco placed the journal back in the pile when he realised it wasn't the correct date he was looking for, and traced his finger down the spines of each journal looking for the date he wanted, "With who here?" he asked, not really interested but knowing after so many years it was better to just humor them then to get annoyed, because the more he got annoyed the more he gave them to feed off of and gave them an excuse to pick on him more.

"Dunno, but Ron says he's surprised you haven't called for him to see you, he thought you might want to thank him," Fred said, floating down and turning back upright to walk on the floor, "actually he was pretty offended that you hadn't, but considering you guys hate each other anyway it must be a bummer for him having to help the stuck up prince who-"

Draco stopped looking for the journal he wanted and looked over at him. If he didn't interrupt him now he would go on all day, "-I have no idea what you're talking about, I've been down here for two weeks."

"Well we dunno what he's talking about either," George said still floating upside down through the ceiling, "but come up would'ya? He says Hermione won't let him come back until you say you're ok, which means we're gonna be stuck with our little brother boasting how he got to be an angel…which means he'll be around _you_ more often too." He added smirking, knowing that would get his attention, which it did.

"Fine." Draco said thoroughly annoyed, "But after whatever he wants just leave me alone for this month."

"Yeah yeah we know, it's your "time of the year" and all." George said, shooting upwards to join his brother, the two of them grinning and disappearing up through the ceiling

Draco sighed. This had better be good.

----

There were two things that Draco didn't like about being a ghost. The first was that he couldn't change out of the clothes he was in. What he died in is what he had been wearing ever since. He wore a short sleeved, deep sea green jerkin tunic made of crushed velvet, with silver hems and a vee-shape open neck style at the front, black cords criss-crossing their way across the gap. Underneath he wore a simple long sleeved, white poet shirt with a high neck collar, and black cotton pants that held rather tightly across his skin. The black boots he wore came up high over his ankle, a large silver buckle on the side of each. The pride and joy of his outfit however was the crushed velvet cloak he wore, the same colour as his tunic, kept around his neck by a silver Celtic Padstow Cross clasp. It too was trimmed with silver at the hems, and at least a foot of it dragged behind him on the floor. He loved this cloak because Harry had been the one who made it for him. When he was alive Harry had been a tailor's son, and this cloak had been the first gift he had given him. Draco was always glad that, even though he couldn't technically change clothes anymore and missed the other expanse of royal clothes he had once owned, he at least still had Harry's cloak.

The second thing, was that apart from getting into Harry's room, Draco never liked floating through walls or people, even after 900 years it still kind of freaked him out and only ever did it when absolutely necessary. Necessary usually being to get away from the twins. He even tried to step out the way of people walking towards him, although admittedly that took a bit of getting used to at first. Being a Prince when he was alive he was used to other people moving out the way when he walked towards them, and bowing as he passed, and he certainly didn't get that anymore.

This had always pissed off his Guiding Angel for he was always in a rush, so when visiting Draco on Earth he'd have to wait for the guy to walk up the stairs and down the corridors to see him. Ron always appeared in his Royal Quarters in Gryffindor Tower, which back in the olden days had been a gigantic room with red and gold tapestries, bed sheets made of the finest materials, and expensive statues and paintings. Since the castle had been bought by the Dumbledore family 150 years ago though and turned into a boarding school, his room had been renovated and split into 10 separate bedrooms for the students. This had highly annoyed Draco, but being ghost, he didn't really have much of a choice.

The one room that had remained the same though was the entrance way to his bedroom, which had now been turned into a common room for the students living in the Gryffindor tower, and this is where Ron usually appeared.

Passing a student as he rushed off to a class, Draco paused at a classroom door when he heard a sort of rushed scuffling behind it, and suddenly Fred and George came tumbling through the wall in a fit of laughter, Draco hearing a "Detention with Professor Snape!" being shouted in the classroom.

"What are you two doing _now_?" Draco sighed as the twins tried to regain some composure.

"Picking on the new guy." Fred finally managed to blurt out before bursting out laughing again.

"Yeah, he's gonna be so confused on who actually threw that book at Flitwick's back." George laughed, holding onto his brother.

The two continued to try and breathe properly, before Fred frowned at Draco, "Hey aren't you supposed to be with Ron?" he asked.

"That's where I'm going."

The twins looked at each other for a moment, before grinning back at Draco, "Can't leave you alone can we?" Fred grinned.

"You don't learn that the world doesn't revolve around you anymore." George grinned just as wildly at the annoyed look on Draco's face.

"Well come on then!" they said in union, and grabbing Draco's arms one each side, shot up into the air and through the ceiling taking him with them.

----

"It's about bloody time!"

When Draco and the twins appeared in the common room of Gryffindor Tower, students who didn't have a class at this moment sitting studying or chatting quietly, they found a very fuming Angel staring down at them from the ceiling.

"Hey little bro!" the twins chorused, "Your halo's crooked again."

Ron, who was wearing the well known long white tunic that every Angel visiting Earth had to wear, reached up to his halo that was once again dipping down to one side, and straightened it.

"I swear I got the end of the production line of these things." He said, fluttering his large white wings in annoyance, "But anyway don't change the subject!" he glared at his brothers pointing at them.

Ron and his twin brothers had been servants in the kitchen's 900 years ago, and had died a few days after Draco in a fire there. When the twins remained on earth as ghosts, they had at first been very humble towards Draco when they found he haunted the castle too, but soon after -and Draco was ashamed to say only 2 weeks- the twins had shown their real colours when they realised they didn't have to be so formal with him as he was dead, and ever since had treated Draco….well, let's just say without the proper respect and courtesy Draco had continually tried to pound into their empty heads.

"What do you want?" Draco asked Ron, crossing his arms and staring up at him, wanting to get this over with and get back down to Harry's room.

Ron however, just seemed to stare at him, "What do I want?" he repeated slowly, "After all these years and that's the thanks I get? Bloody hell you know you could be a little more grateful _Your Highness_." He added spitefully.

"I have no idea what you're blabbering on about so just get on with it." Draco glared at him.

Ron stared at him for another moment, the twins finding amusement in blowing the pages over in a book lying on a desk a girl was trying to study from, before his mouth gaped open, "You really don't know do you?" he said, Draco not removing his glare.

"Apparently not."

"I found him!" Ron said in a tone of voice that asked for praise, and Draco's glare suddenly slipped away, "He's been here for two weeks, haven't you seen him yet?"

Draco stared with dubious eyes up at his Guiding Angel, not wanting to think he was talking about who he hoped he was talking about in case he was immensely heartbroken, "Who?" he asked quietly.

"Harry!" Ron blurted out, and Draco felt his heart stop in his chest, "I finally found his recent reincarnation! After I kicked out one of the students who lived here two weeks ago by making him suddenly have a revelation that he wanted to be nuclear scientist than anything historical, he moved right in."

_It can't be._ Draco took a step back, his breath hitching in his throat, the school bell ringing out across the castle signifying the end of the current lesson.

"Not a bad match up physically either. I know your Harry was a brunette, this one's got black hair, but everything else matches. Green eyes, kind of short, the whole shebang. AND!" Ron suddenly exclaimed, getting rather excited about the whole thing, "He's got the Lightening Bolt mark on his forehead, which means he's _definitely_ a reincarnation of someone, it's got to be your Harry! At least it better be him, that's why I'm here, Hermione wants me to check up to make sure."

Ron floated there with a grin on his face waiting to hear a round of "Thank you"'s and "You're so wonderful"'s thrown at him, but Draco it seemed was frozen to the spot as he stared up at him. His usual annoyed grey eyes were wide, unfocused as everything Ron had just told him sunk in.

_Harry was….here? 900 years and….and…._

Draco could feel himself quivering in shock, and in a moment of rare emotional show, his throat felt like it had closed and he chocked back a sob.

"Green eyes?" Fred suddenly inquired, looking up as the girl he was blowing the pages of the book at walked over to a nearby window frowning and trying to find a draft.

"Black hair?" followed George, "Doesn't have glasses does he?"

Ron nodded.

"That's the new guy!" they both exclaimed happily, "That's who—"

"THAT'S WHO YOU'VE BEEN PICKING ON?" Draco shouted at them furiously, his frozen state of shock obviously now vanished, and he disappeared into the floor, forgetting he didn't like to do that, and in leaving a very disgruntled Ron in the common room rushed back over to the classroom he'd seen Fred and George tumble out of.

This couldn't be real, it couldn't be him, after so many years had he finally come back to the castle? Would he really be seeing his Harry again? Would this be the last night he'd spend alone with his memories? Draco had longed for this moment, and if this person wasn't Harry he was personally going rip Ron's wings off!

Appearing through the classroom door, he found it empty, and suddenly thought that it must have been Harry that Professor Flitwick had given detention to, which meant he'd be in Professor Snape's office. Once again not caring he was passing through walls and people, Draco hurried down to the first floor and down the stairs into the entrance of the Slytherin Dungeons.

When Draco was still alive, these had not been dungeons, but servant quarters. Around 200 years after his death when the country was at war, the quarters had been turned into dungeons for prisoners, and had been given the name of the Slytherin Dungeons.

Well, all but one room they'd used, the one small room at the very back, the one with the tiny window right at the top of the room they'd all been too scared to go near. That room was Harry's room, and Draco had made sure that no half rotting prisoner was going to be thrown in that room, and besides, he still needed to keep his journals a secret. If any humans found journals from someone that had died so many years previous with current dates on them, well, the supernatural world as they knew it would be completely re-written, and humans were not ready to know that all, or at least most, of the ghost sightings around the world had been true.

The dungeons themselves had long since been closed and banned to students, the huge old oak door that was the entrance covered in wooden planks nailed across them, chains and bolts keeping them firmly in place with a red "DO NOT ENTER" sign attached very clearly to the front of it. But there was one room before the entrance that was just above ground level, and this was the office of Professor Snape.

Draco was about to rush through the door, when he paused, his heart beat racing. What if Harry really _was_ just the other side of this door? What if the person he had loved even after death was just standing the other side of this piece of wood?

He swallowed the lump in his throat nervously and found himself shaking again. He reached up with one hand and gently placed his fingers against the door, the edges of them fading slightly through it, and in one moment of nervous bravery, stepped through.

"I mean I've always had this dream on and off all my life, but I've dreamt it every single night since I got here. I don't know, maybe I'm just loosing it in general. What do you think Hedwig?"

Hedwig hooted softly, but her eyes were not on Harry, they were looking just behind him, to his Highness Prince Draco Malfoy, looking for the first time in 900 years at the man he loved more than his own life.

Draco stood in front of the door, looking at Harry casually leaning back in his chair, feet resting up on the desk to one side, smiling at the owl oblivious to the spirit behind him that she was actually looking at.

Draco could find no words, no thoughts, to describe what he felt at that moment. It was Harry, it really was him. Not just the appearance but, he could feel his soul, the soul he loved, sitting there right in front of him. Every emotion Draco hadn't felt since Harry had been murdered, every thought of love and adoration, every feeling of completeness and serenity he hadn't felt in 900 years swept over his soul, and for that moment Draco felt as if he was alive again.

His eyes soften, glistening with tears he didn't realise he could shed anymore, and a smile reached his lips, a smile that only Harry had ever truly seen. It was a smile that released every tension he had, every depressing day he'd spent wandering this castle hoping to see his love's face once again, a smile that said to anyone who would have been able to see it that, this young man standing here, was beyond a doubt utterly in love.

Draco tried to will his legs to move, his arms to move, heck his _brain_ to move, but he couldn't think of anything but painting this beautiful creature in his mind so he would never forget this moment again.

"Potter, feet off!"

Draco finally managed to avert his eyes from Harry when he realised the door behind him had opened up through him and in walked Professor Snape, snapping at Harry to get his feet of the desk and to get rid of that owl. The moment's eye movement seemed to engage Draco's brain back into work, and he walked around the right side of the desk, watching Harry with love filled eyes as he sat back up reaching for his glasses.

Bang!

Heavy books were dropped on the desk and Harry dropped his glasses to the floor. Draco knelt down on one knee just to one side in front of Harry, and being so close he could see the sparkling green of his eyes, and it made his heartbeat grow faster. He looked down at the glasses on the floor, and suddenly smiled gently. Looking back up at Harry and the Professor, Harry obviously trying not to smirk at an enrage Snape as he wiped at his chair, Draco slowly picked up the glasses, folded them neatly so they wouldn't break, and placed them at the edge of the desk..

The look on Harry's face as he leant down to pick up the glasses that were no longer there made Draco smirk cheekily to himself. Harry was so cute, always had been, it was those green eyes and that boyish smile that had drawn him to him in the first place. That day they first met, it was an automatic attraction, and Draco hadn't even liked boys before. But when Harry had looked up at him slowly through those long eyelashes with that gentle smile after bowing in front of him, it was like any other person to be involved with romantically disappeared in that moment.

Draco got up from the floor and stood behind Harry's chair, and smiling gently, he reached out and brushed his fingers across the back of Harry's neck. He knew he couldn't touch him, dead souls could not touch a living one, but when Harry raised his hand to rub at his neck where he'd touched him, Draco couldn't hide the uncharacteristic grin that lit up his face. He knelt down again, leaning in close so his bangs of hair disappeared through Harry's own, and he gently kissed the back of his neck.

"What's so funny Potter?"

"Nothing sir."

Draco looked up at him, a smile residing on his love's cheeks. Someway, somehow, his reincarnated soul knew that Draco was there, and Draco matched that smile.

He was home.

To Be Continued…

**AN: **I forgot to mention this in the prologue, but the rating in this will be moving up to an R later on, or an M as it's called now. In fact it's very possible that I will be creating a couple of NC-17 parts of this (possible, haven't actually written any before so I don't know how great they'd be), but as I obviously can't place them here, keep an eye out on this site: www(dot)livejournal(dot)com/userinfo.bml?userstarrosefanfic. It's a community for my fanfiction (only just started it), where I place updates with my own personal notes about the new chapters to my stories that I may not put here, and where people can post fanart for my fics (none for HP yet I'm afraid, just my other fics), so keep an eye out for extra bits (smiles).


	3. Chapter 2: Footsteps of past

**AN:**Sorry this is taking a long time to write, I probably should have started this fic after I finished my other Harry and Draco one, and that one does take precedence over this one until it's finished I'm afraid.

**AAN:** Plus it would have helped if I put down the correct web address for the notes for my stories. Stupid ff . net doesn't like equals signs or underscores and I didn't realise. So, this is the right address: www(dot)livejournal(dot)?user(equals sign)starrose(underscore)fanfic.

Easier would be just to go to my profile where the link is at the bottom, then there's no re-typing the dots etc into the address bar.

**Chapter 2: Footsteps of past**

**31st July 1097**

It had only been a few months after his father's death and his own coronation, that King Lucius Malfoy had fallen ill. It was because of the worry he might not survive that his wife, Queen Narcissa, had been hurrying to find her son a wife and produce a second heir as quickly as the biological clock would allow. She pressurized her son day in and day out, pleading with him to let her choose a wife for him. The Prince could not become the King until a wife was found, in this day and age there was no point in crowning someone who could be assassinated the next morning leaving nothing but the advisors to squabble amongst themselves and leave the throne of England open to anyone who decided they wanted it.

With her son refusing to choose anyone, Narcissa had decided to throw party after party for him, inviting all the noblemen and their daughters from across the country to try and find a suitable bride that sparked his interest. She was trying to be nice by doing this, but if her son didn't choose someone soon, she would _have_ to pick someone for him and force him into marriage. Time was not to be wasted, and with her husband loosing more strength every day, panic was becoming an unwelcome guest in the castle. The country had faced so many dark times in the years before, it needed to start a fresh, get out of this confusion and find the light in the rest of the world.

Those noblemen invited to these parties made every effort imaginable to impress the Royal Court, in not just of hopes in marrying off their daughters to the Prince, but to gain a higher rank amongst the royal family to gain more power, which meant these parties were also a big chance for everyone to show off how rich they were.

One of these families was the Potter household.

In this particular party she'd arranged, out of everyone on her list to invite the Potters were, really, only a last resort to fill up the spaces. They were a small, hardworking family, husband, wife, and a son and daughter. The man of the family was hardly a nobleman, but he was a very fine tailor, the fine material and clothing he and his son made very well known amongst the peasants, and to which even she herself had some of the maids make a dress for her, so he was at least in a respectable trade and would do him the honor of seeing the Royal Court this once. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and if her son chose a girl on the _bottom_ of her list, at she would have been _on_ the list.

However, as she sat on her smaller wooden throne next to the elaborate gold one of her husbands next to her, she found herself panicking at the lack of interest her son was showing to every single girl who passed him.

Prince Draco Malfoy stood to the left of her slight in front, looking entirely bored, but to be honest, although he was bored, he was trying not to release the smirk that wanted to play on his lips at his mother's nervousness.

Everyone who entered the Royal Court, a gigantic room with a ceiling so high you could not make out the wooden rafters that held it up, had been instructed to walk to the other end and up the steps to where the thrones and the Royal family sat. They were to bow before the King and Queen, and present the Prince with a gift and let their daughters curtsey before him. First impression was the most important, so the gifts had been large and expensive, and the possible brides-to-be dressed up in the most exclusive and sophisticated dresses they could get their hands on.

Draco watched as one girl after another was presented before him, a huge pile of gold and jewels gathering to his left where they lay their gifts, and he knew that every single girl who he passed off with just a polite nod of his head was driving his mother insane.

She was far too easy to read. Every party was just a desperate attempt to get him to find a girl, and he almost pitied her. Yes he knew the country was in trouble if his father died and Draco hadn't found a wife, but his father was no where near dying just yet, especially if he could sit there and eye Draco just as harshly as his mother was, and if he had to get married he wasn't going to be forced into choosing someone. Besides, if his father _did_ die, Draco knew he couldn't be harmed. His personal servant and bodyguard Sirius Black had always protected him with his life, and knew he was in good hands. Said servant stood by the wall a little ways behind him and his mother, full uniform and his hand on the hilt of his sword in case anyone made a sudden rush to the family he was sworn to protect.

Plus the fact they lived inside a huge stone castle with an entire army just outside the walls, with guards and soldiers at every possible entrance, was a good ease on the mind.

Draco nodded again to another girl, just catching an annoyed frown on her face as she turned away back down the steps, apparently unimpressed with Draco's lack of being impressed by her beauty.

Draco had to smirk then, and he risked a glance back to his mother, who glared dangerously at him, and he turned back to the guests. He had seen her little list of people she was to invite to this party, and considering who she had invited, she really _was_getting desperate. He saw she had invited the Potters, scribbled quickly on at the bottom of the list. He only knew the Potter's by name, having heard his mother mention the fabric they make once or twice, but knew they were really no one of much importance, and to invite people like them made him want to laugh. His mother was so full of pride, to invite someone so low to a royal party must have made her swallow her pride all the way to her toes.

If he was going to be attracted to anyone, he'd make sure it would be a much plainer girl then the ones being marched before him, simply because he knew it would annoy his mother, but also because the others were also far too easy to read. Only after one thing: power. Draco had to admit he was slightly curious as to what the Potter's reaction was to be invited here. He didn't think merchants like them would really be in it for the power, maybe the money. All peasants need money. Whatever the reason, he was looking forward to seeing their daughter more than any others, not that that meant he'd be choosing her, he hated this forced married business, but out of all the obligatory polite smiles and flirtatious glances that had been thrown his way, Draco was beginning to hope for a genuine smile.

And besides, he couldn't marry anyone who was prettier than he was.

He bowed again as another girl curtseyed at him, returning her forced smile with an equally forced smile, and nodded at her father that followed, who bowed to him and placed their gift of a small chest of red rubies at his side where all the other hundreds of gifts had been placed.

Draco sighed, beginning to get thoroughly annoyed at this now, when a young girl with long black hair approached him and curtseyed sweetly, smiling rather nervously at him. He smiled back as usual, deciding so far that had been the nicest smile he'd had seen, when the girl's father walked up beside her and bowed at him.

"Your Highness, my name is James Potter, and may I present my daughter, Miss Holly Potter."

Holly, as was now known, curtsied again, before she moved along with her father. So, that was the Potter's daughter. He could feel his mothers stare burning into the back of his head, waiting for a reaction. Well, the girl was pretty enough, in a plain way, which was good, and although her clothes were not as fancy as everyone elses as he'd anticipated, you could see they were made extremely well. Well they would be as her father was a tailo-

Draco paused in his thoughts as James turned around and seemed to usher to someone in the line of people waiting to greet him to hurry up, and a young man suddenly sprung forth behind a very large dress another girl was wearing, carrying what appeared to be a long deep green velvet cloak in his arms.

"Harry, you're late…" James warned through gritted teeth, this Harry throwing an apologetic look at his father before turning to look up at Draco.

The second their eyes met, Draco suddenly realised that the music and chattering around him seemed to have faded away. He would have looked around in confusion, if he could have taken his eyes away from the bright green ones that held his own. He could see people still talking away and the musicians still playing out the corner of his eye, so why could he only hear his blood pounding in his ears?

The young man before him continued to gaze at him, before his father, noticing he wasn't doing as they had planned, elbowed him in the arm. He blinked, breaking the eye contact, before bowing low to the ground.

"Your Highness." He said respectfully, holding his bow before slowly standing up straight, his eyes fluttering up to meet Draco's own once again, and Draco was sure his heart just skipped a beat as he looked down at him.

Without another word from his lips, Harry walked over to the other presents guests had brought, laying the cloak carefully over another chest presumably full of more jewels. Draco didn't take his eyes off him for a moment, his breath hitching in his throat, not that he noticed.

Draco watched Harry as he made sure there were no creases in the cloak, before he saw him glance at him through the corner of his eyes, noticed Draco was looking at him, and smiled quickly caught off guard. He bowed his head almost apologetically, before turning around and walking back over to his father, who while walking away down the steps whacked him upside the head for being late in front of the Prince himself.

Draco didn't even notice the next girl who came to curtsey in front of him, but watched as Harry walked down the steps to the open hall below them, where people were dancing and all manner of food and drinks were laid out on dark wooden tables aligning the walls.

What was going on? Why couldn't he take his eyes off him? Draco frowned to himself, but as the little family reached the edge of the gathering dancers, James and Holly disappearing into the crowds, he caught through the many faces Harry turning back to look at him, eyes meeting his own and holding that gaze once again. His green eyes seemed to stand out above everything else in the room, and Draco never wanted to look away, but he didn't know why. Suddenly a coy smile reached Harry's lips, continuing to look up at him even as other people walked in front of him and danced, oblivious to the look in Draco's eyes that every girl in the room wanted to have directed at them.

Again Harry bowed his head, eyes staying fixed on Draco's, and that shy smile still on his lips. It was a smile not put on for any royal greetings, a smile not made to impress, but a smile that was directed straight at Draco's eyes, linking straight to his heart. It was a smile that made everything else in the room disappear but him, and a smile that at that moment, as Harry finally looked away wandering off to find his father and sister, that Draco decided it was the most beautiful smile that had ever been cast his way.

**26th December 2005**

_I am not staying here long; I just want to write down why I have not been here for two weeks. You see, it's happened. After so long, so many years of waiting, he's finally come home. He's back; my Harry is back with me again!_

_He's alive._

_And so is my soul._

Draco hurriedly put down the quill, blowing at the ink to hurry up and dry, before slamming the journal shut and floating up through the ceiling, not wanting to spend another second away from Harry, but having felt guilty for not writing anything in his journals to explain his absence from them for two weeks.

For those past two weeks since he'd seen him in Professor Snape's office, he had done nothing but stay at Harry's side, watching him work in class, watching him laugh with his friends, watching him sleep. Draco desperately wanted to curl up in those arms at night, to feel the heat of the one he loved, but unable to do anything but watch the gentle rise and fall of his chest, tucking the bedcovers around him as he moved in his sleep, keeping the wintry chill away.

He'd sit at the edge of the bed, a longing look in his eyes, and several times unbeknown to him Fred and George had been watching Draco through the walls, but there were no smiles on their faces, they almost looked….sad, before they would look at each other forlornly, and disappear to leave them alone.

Nights were always the hardest for Draco. During the day Harry was always on the move, and every day Draco learnt new things about the new life his Harry lived. The most recent thing he'd learnt was that he had grown up with Seamus when the Irish boy's parents had taken him in after his own parents had been killed in car accident when he was 11. But despite that, Draco was amused and overjoyed that most other things somehow related to his past life with him. Things like he had been born on the 31st July, the date they had first met. Things like he had always had a good eye for design, just like he used to be a tailor in his other life. He even had the same personality, and that same gorgeous smile that had always made Draco swoon.

And of course the big number one, the fact he was attracted to the _male_ side of the population.

The days swam by like the swans that decorated the Black Lake by the castle, and Draco was happy to just be there, watching adoringly at the one thing he'd wished for since…well, forever it seemed now.

But nights, nights were the hardest.

Being a ghost he had no need for sleep, but sitting there watching his love, reaching out to him looking so close, but his fingers passing straight through him reminding him of just how far away he really was, Draco found himself feeling a little dejected on some nights.

All he had was his memories at night, and although he had the very person all those memories belonged to right in front of him, he couldn't touch him. He could never touch him again. No matter how much his heart and soul ached to hold him, no matter how that to have a physical touch against him was the only wish he wanted, he would forever remain unknown to Harry. He would be nothing but a soul drifting next to the one it belonged to.

Back then, when he had chosen to remain on Earth to wait for Harry once again, his only wish had been to see him, but he had never thought of how he might feel, seeing him there and unable to hold him. It was a depressing thought, but not once had Draco regretted staying on Earth.

How could he regret anything when he could see Harry again? His beautiful emerald eyes and that boyish smile that had captured Draco's heart in the first place? Even if Draco never reached Heaven, for these precious moments with Harry again, he was as close to Heaven as he was going to get.

So, as he walked through the door to Harry's room, Harry fast asleep in his bed, Draco took his usual position and sat at the edge of the bed, gazing down at him. Harry had forgotten to pull his curtains again, and with the full moon outside, it made the snowflakes that were gently falling down seem to glow an even brighter white against the black starless sky.

Draco watched them for moment, before turning his attention back to Harry as he moved in his sleep, lying on his back, one hand resting back against the pillow. Draco smiled. He'd had always compared himself to a snowflake, and Harry the sun. It may seem a bit strange, but out of his whole life, Harry had been the only one to make his cold demeanor melt by a single look.

* * *

For as long as he could remember, Harry had always had this one same dream. As a child he never understood it, heck he didn't understand it now, but when his best friend Seamus Finnigan had told him that he "liked boys" when he was 13, Harry had decided to tell him about this dream, and ever since Seamus had always laughed and teased him asking how it was possible that between the two of them, how _Harry_ hadn't turned out gay first as he'd been dreaming about kissing guys since he was practically born.

"_A_ guy." Harry would correct him.

"Yeah, a _Prince_!" Seamus would respond.

During High School when the two of them met Dean Thomas, he and Seamus becoming an item after a year, Harry had told him about the dreams too, hoping to get a more logical explanation then Seamus's version of: "You're dreaming of a past life, has to be. Man an affair with a Prince! Wish I could have that dream."

His conversation had started out fairly promising with Dean.

"So you've been dreaming this since you a kid?" Dean had asked.

"Yeah?"

"And you kiss?"

"Every time."

"So, who is this Prince guy?"

"Don't know, I just know he's a Prince, that's it. No idea of a name."

"What's he look like?"

"Err, platinum blond hair, grey eyes, sharp features."

"Hmmm..." Dean had thought, before suddenly whipping out the sketch pad he always had with him and rummaging around for a pencil in his bag, "You've got to tell me about this dream, I'm going to draw it and stick it on my wall!"

So, no help from him either.

Harry had gotten used to these dreams by now, but when he had admitted to himself that he too liked guys a few months ago, the dreams had started to become more frequent, maybe six or seven times a month inside of twice a month like he usually got, but only since he moved to Hogwarts did that dream start happening _every_ night.

He'd been here for a month now, and although this constant dream had startled him at first making him wonder even more why he was dreaming this, the more he dreamt it, the more he felt like he could….remember. Remember what he didn't know, but after the first two weeks, every time he crawled into bed and turned out the lights, the thoughts of his Prince were already on his mind. He hoped every night he would dream of him once again, just to feel that devoted emotion of adoration, wanting to see those shimmering eyes looking at him, and every morning when he awoke, he smiled as that feeling washed over him.

It was exactly what he was thinking now as he crawled into bed, darkness around him as he pulled the duvet covers up part way over his head to keep the winter chill out that the castle brought. He smiled into the pillow at the thought of his dream. It was the same one, but he never tired of it. He remembered everything when he woke up, and it always felt so real. The way they kissed, as if nothing else in the world existed, slow and tender, pouring every ounce of love into that one kiss, and every time he woke up he could still feel his heart beat racing from this rush of passion his mind had been making him feel. The image of this anonymous blond Prince would stay fresh in his mind, those grey eyes that, although he got the feeling were usually narrowed at others, showing nothing but complete adoration when looked at him.

The only problem was that when he woke up, after this feeling of love would completely overflow him, it would vanish just as quickly, and he'd be left with an empty feeling deep in his chest, like he was missing something desperately but didn't know what.

Still, as Harry closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him, his Prince behind his eyelids before the dream even took place, Harry smiled and was glad he didn't have to get up early tomorrow.

* * *

Harry waking up in the morning was something Draco always looked forward to. He'd heard Harry saying about the dreams he had, not knowing that the person in that dream was Draco, but the look in his eyes when he woke up, his pupil's dilated and that look of utter peace and adoration on his face made Draco grin every time, the urge to wrap his arms around him so strong.

And, as the morning sunlight filtered through the window, the snow having stopped some when during the night, Draco watched as Harry's eyes slowly fluttered open, and leant over him smiling to see that those deep dark green eyes caused by thoughts of him.

A smile reached Harry's lips as he woke, and he closed his eyes again to keep that loving feeling he always had before it disappeared. He'd dreamt of his Prince again, just like every night, and the fluttering in his chest at the memory and the heat in his cheeks made him snuggle further into the bedcovers. He peered up at the ceiling, feeling warm and at ease, before as usual, the feeling gradually vanished, and Harry stared up with a small frown to his eyes.

He wished the feeling would stay. He'd never really had a relationship with anyone before. There were a few people he tried to go out with, but it never lasted, and never got any further than a few kisses. As he'd never really knew if it was guys or girls he liked until a few months ago, the idea of a relationship with anyone hadn't really bothered him, until now that is. The only problem was that the person he wanted to have a relationship with wasn't real, he was a dream, and the notion he'd fallen in love with a dream made Harry question his sanity.

Still, as he stared upwards to the wooden supports on the ceiling, the feeling he adored melting away, he felt if he just reached up, reached up into the air, he could grab onto that young Prince and keep him with him.

So he did. Raising one hand, he reached up into the air, and at the same time, Draco jumped backwards in shock.

He'd been leaning in close over Harry, barely an inch away from his face drowning in those warm eyes, wondering only for a moment why he'd frowned when he suddenly felt Harry's hand shoot up through his chest. Jumping backwards in surprise, he watched as Harry's hand stayed there for a moment, clasping softly at the air, before slowly resting it back at his side on the bed.

Harry sighed. What was he thinking? What was he _doing_? Maybe he did need to find someone to date, because the more he thought of his Prince, the less he wanted to go out with anyone else. The dream was consuming him, maybe he really was going insane? Sighing again he kicked the duvet away from him and sat up, not noticing Draco standing at the end of his bed holding the fist of his hand to his chest where Harry's hand had drifted through.

Had he felt Draco was there? Had he reached out to him? Draco smiled softly, watching as Harry stretched and stood up, racking a hand through his hair.

He hoped so, because maybe that meant he wasn't quite as invisible to Harry as he'd thought.

* * *

"Right, there's about 800 foot of snow outside. Let's go have a snow ball fight!" Seamus exclaimed excitedly after they had breakfast in the Great Hall.

He had been staring dreamily outside one of the windows all through breakfast, practically quivering at the sight of the deep snow covering absolutely everything outside. Seamus had a weak spot for snow, and always seemed to return to a state of mind of a five year old whenever he saw it. Harry had grown up with that, and although hadn't adopted Seamus's childish joy over it, did happen to love snow too.

"How old are you?" Dean asked his boyfriend, smirking.

"You're never too old to have a snowball fight." Seamus stated, before grabbing an arm from both Harry and Dean and dragging them into the main hallway and out through the large wooden doors into the cold.

"Seamus it's freezing out here!" Harry proclaimed, digging his heals just outside the door making Seamus stop trying to pull his arm off and coming to a halt.

"So it's a little nippy it's fine," Seamus shrugged, "a bit of cold never hurt anyo—"

Just at that moment a chilling wind whipped past them bringing florets of snow, and Seamus froze mid-sentence, Harry wrapping his arms around himself as the thin red sweater he had on didn't do much for warmth out in this.

Both he and Dean looked at Seamus with raised eyebrows, and to cover the sound of his own teeth starting to chatter, Seamus quickly ran back inside.

"Alright, coats, _then_ we have a snowball fight!"

Draco felt so jealous he could not join in the boys snowball fight down by the Black Lake. All he could do was follow them around as they moved down the lake, hiding behind trees and bushes trying to catch each other out. On all three of them their hair was dripping wet from having snowball after snowball pounded into them, and the laughter of them and other's across the grounds having a good time in the snow filtered through the air.

Something fun like this he could never do with his old Harry. If someone had seen them, well, he didn't want to think what his parents would have done, at least they never found out about his affair with him. His love for Harry had been secret, and that was another thing he was jealous of. In this day and age, it didn't seem to matter who people loved. He'd seen Dean and Seamus walk hand in hand into lessons and no one even batted an eyelid. If it had been that way when he was alive, if his love for Harry was okay, then their lives together would have been so different. He could have had snowball fights with him in the grounds, he could have gone riding with him together instead of having to meet in secret out far in the forest, could have even done simple things like eating dinner together, because after all, the Prince and a tailors son could not eat in the same room.

The laughing trio had made their way to what the years had dubbed the Whomping Willow tree near the lake's side. The tree had been there even in Draco's time, although a lot smaller and daintier then the huge 5 foot wide trunk it had now, with branches as thick as your legs and arms.

Draco wandered over and sat underneath it, watching and smiling as Seamus and Harry teamed up and pelted Dean with an onslaught of snowballs after he'd shook a heavy snow laden branch over them.

He'd spent many hours under this tree years ago, with Harry, just sitting together in the summer night air. It was a little way from the castle, hidden behind walls with no windows, and it was a place they could get away with meeting secretly, and most of the time they'd never even moved from that spot. Draco was busy with his duties, Harry was busy in his job, there was little time they could be alone, so usually just sat together, wrapped in each others arms letting the world drift by.

Draco's smile fell from his face though, when he remembered the other memory this tree held. After all, it had been one of the few things he'd seen last before he died. Deciding not to let his memories over take him, he looked back up to find that face he loved again, when suddenly…

"Harry? Hey Harry you alright?"

Seamus and Dean were running over to Harry who seemed to have collapsed to his knees by the lake's edge, staring wildly into the water, and with panicked eyes Draco shot away from the tree and ran over to him.

He arrived seconds after Seamus and Dean did, Seamus crouching by his side and Dean standing by his other. Draco ran in front of him, his feet just passing through the water's edge, and crouched right in front of him.

Harry's eyes were staring straight through Draco's own, a look of terror shining through them, and without thinking Draco reached out to hold him by his shoulders only to realise of course, that he couldn't hold him, his hands passing straight through, and Harry shivered.

"Hey," Seamus said softly, rubbing his hand on Harry's back as he shivered, "Hey, snap out of it, come on." he said, a false calm in his voice, but Harry didn't remove his eyes from the water ahead of him, eyes filled with fear.

What was happening? Why did he suddenly feel like everything he ever cared about had just vanished, like a huge hole was in his chest? Harry didn't even feel Seamus shaking him by the shoulders, just stared out into the partially frozen water, breath coming short, when suddenly, a pain so sharp shot through his forehead, and he doubled over into the snow, hands clasping to the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

He was aware only briefly of Seamus and Dean's voice calling his name, when through the soaring pain in his head, he heard a voice he didn't recognise.

_-"Let me die with you."-_

Then the pain was gone.

He blinked slowly, removing his hands from his head and sat back on his heals, looking with now confused eyes into the still water.

"Harry?" Seamus asked, seeming out of breath, and Harry turned to him, "Are….are you alright?"

Harry sat there for a moment, thinking, "Yeah….sorry, I'm okay I… I just got this really weird feeling." He said slowly, looking back at the lake, parts of it frozen, the bits that weren't rippling gently in the breeze.

He was alright, he felt fine now. The pain was gone, and whatever that anxiety was about, that had gone too. But still…Harry frowned, did he hear another voice? What did it say? Or did he imagine it? Or was there a voice at all? He couldn't remember now, it was fading away.

"Maybe we should stop playing around?" Dean suggested to Seamus, "Let's go back inside."

Harry continued to look at the lake, a bewildered frown adjourning his eyes, "…yeah….yeah ok." He said distractingly, as Seamus took him by the arm and helped him stand up.

As the three of them walked away, Draco finally stood up, an unbelieving realisation in his eyes.

_But….but he couldn't know…_

He stared at the footprints they had left in the snow, before glancing up at the back of them.

_That's impossible; there was no way he could know….no way he could…._

Draco glanced at the Whomping Willow, then turned around and looked back to the lake, eyes wide in an unpleasant memory as he remembered his own footprints of past. He'd run past that tree right to this very spot….Harry had already been dead at the time….so how….how did….

Did he sense this was where Draco had drowned himself?

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 3: He Wouldn't Know

**Chapter 3: He Wouldn't Know…**

_10th August, 1097_

Draco didn't care about the odd glances the soldiers were giving him. He didn't care about the whispers the servants in the halls abruptly tried to pretend they weren't whispering when Draco walked past them. He didn't even care that one of the servants, a tall boy with fiery red hair, had walked into him as he hurried down to the servants working rooms below the castle, when normally he would have badgered the poor servant into a trembling mass of apologies.

He didn't have time for trivial instances, when he had Harry to go and see.

It had been only a week after Draco had met the Potters at his mother's party, but for every single second of that week those brilliant green eyes and genuine smile of a certain Harry Potter had not once left his mind. The image was driving him insane. Even his mother had noticed he was acting strange, which was a bad sign as she never paid any attention to him whatsoever unless it was grabbing a random girl and throwing her in front of him hoping for some reaction.

But not once did Draco have any reaction to anyone that was shown to him. The only time he had was when a girl with green eyes had glanced at him, when Draco's heart rate shot up in his chest. But it wasn't the girl; it was just the eyes, the eyes that reminded him of the tailor's son he couldn't stop thinking about.

Every person that would walk in the room Draco would look up hoping to see that smile, every night all he saw in his dreams were those big green eyes softly falling shut as he leant in to kiss him, and every day if he wasn't already wearing it, he'd look at the crushed velvet cloak Harry had laid before him, wondering where he was at that very moment.

It hadn't actually bothered him that he was feeling this way over a man. Sure he'd thought about it at first when he had his first dream of Harry kissing him, but what was the point in denying something you so obviously felt? Although it hadn't bothered him, he knew it would bother anyone else, so kept it a tight secret. The prospect of two men together wasn't illegal, but that's only because it had never even been thought of before, not in this age.

That one week had been agony, but then Draco had had an idea. He didn't have to put up with this torturous feeling; he was the Prince after all. He couldn't go and see Harry, but that had a simple answer, he'd simply bring Harry to him.

So he sent Sirius Black off on the fastest horse to the Potter household with a royal declamation. The Potter family was to come and live at the castle. Their fine clothing making skills would be used in the highest possible manner, for the royal family itself. They would be paid 10 times more then they already were, would be given the finest servant quarters the castle had, they would have more food and more happiness then the little family could possibly have wanted.

Heck, he'd have given James Potter the crown if that meant he could see his son.

Then low and behold, a few days later Sirius returned, followed by a carriage housing the Potter's, and who sitting with the horse reins in his hands? Harry. As Draco watched from his bedroom window in Gryffindor tower, seeing him sitting there pulling up in front of the castle, Draco felt like his heart had exploded with happiness. He was here, Harry was actually going to be living here, and he'd get to see that smile and those eyes again!

It was not the place of any of the royal family to greet new servants, and Draco had to make sure he wasn't acting _too_ suspiciously, so had forced himself to wait. He'd give the family time to settle in. He'd wait. He'd let them get used to their new surroundings. Yes, he'd wait. He'd let them get used to their new way of life. Just wait…

A day was long enough wasn't it?

This was when he had walked into that servant, rushing off down into the bowels of the castle where the servants slept and worked. The reason he was getting strange glances was because 1) No one of the royal family _ever_ went to where the servants lived, and 2) Draco was obviously completely lost.

He turned down corridor after corridor, walking in on _very_ surprised maids, carpenters that ended up hammering the wrong piece of wood in shock as their Prince walked in through the door, and even walked into the kitchens, startling two red headed twins who were busy peeling a humongous pile of potatoes in the corner.

Draco was getting more and more frustrated. He'd promised the Potters the finest quarters and working environment, but he honestly had no idea where that was! He was going to have to swallow his pride and ask someone, so headed up a wide staircase at the end of the corridor he was walking down to find someone.

As he got to the top he saw a girl wearing a brown servants dress with a white apron tied around her come walking through one of the doors up ahead on the left, and froze where she stood when she saw Draco standing there.

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise, immediately curtsying and bowing her head, "Your Highness."

She'd do. Draco walked up to her, his green cloak flowing behind him, "Do you know where the Potter's are?" he asked directly, and the girl looked up at him.

"The Potter's Your Highness?" she asked, Draco waiting for her answer, before suddenly frowning at her.

"Wait…" he said slowly, "have we met somewhere before?" he asked curiously, and the girl smiled shyly.

"Yes Sire, I am Holly Potter, we met at Her Majesty's Ball last week."

"Oh yes," Draco said in a bored tone of voice, for although she was a Potter, did not have those gorgeous green eyes. Her eyes were like her father's, a rich warm brown, but that didn't interest Draco in the slightest.

"I have to say Your Highness," Holly continued, Draco noticing that the apron she wore around her was stained with the most peculiar colours, blues, green, reds, and all sorts of others, and her sleeves were rolled up, the skin on her hands and arms seemingly stained as well. "We are all very humbly grateful to your kindness of bringing us here to live at your castle."

"Yes, well…I recognise talent." Draco quickly made an excuse, Holly smiling when she noticed the cloak he was wearing.

"My brother made that cloak you are wearing Sire."

Now that got Draco's attention. "Your father did not make it?" he inquired.

"No Your Highness," she smiled, "My brother, Harry, it was his first time making a singular item on his own. He was very determined; he said he wanted to make it as perfect as the Prince himself." Holly quickly snapped a hand over her mouth at her words, before smiling shyly and looking down, "I am sorry Your Highness, I did not mean to overstep any boundaries."

"It's quite alright." Draco dismissed, far too happy and unaware of the small smile on his face that Harry did not only give him the cloak, but made it with his own hands too. And perfect? Draco desperately tried not to smile a very childish smile.

"Where is the rest of your family?" he asked as casually as possible.

"Well, my mother is one of the royal quarter maids now as she is not part of the tailoring trade. My father is up by the lake dying cloth, which is where I am just going," she said, which would explain the colorful stains all over her, "And my brother is in our workshop." She said, looking to the door she had stepped out of. "I believe Her Majesty had asked for a new dress for her next Ball, Harry is cutting the fabric."

Although he was thankful for her help on finding him, Draco did not say thank you or even nod his head, just walked past her and opened the door, far too inwardly excited that he'd be seeing Harry, and closed it behind him.

In front of him was a large room full of wooden weaves and rolls upon rolls of different coloured fabrics in different materials. By the row of high windows opposite hung more fabric, drying in the sun through the windows by the looks of it, hanging down from the high ceiling. Blue silks, red cottons, green velvets, just like his cloak. On one side of the room hung on the walls were cutting and sewing equipment. Knives, thread, and even some of the chain mail armor the soldiers wore, supposedly there to get the dimensions right for the clothing underneath. In the middle there were three long tables, the dull graying wood also tainted with odd bits of colour every now and there. Each table had a collection of unfinished clothing on it. Some half cut, half dyed, some hung up and almost finished.

But it was the table in the middle that had his attention.

The room was completely quiet save for the odd ruffling of fabric, as Harry lay out a long piece of wood against a sky blue piece of silk he was working on, making markings against it every now and then with a piece of black charcoal alongside the wood. His face was deep in concentration, his tongue just touching his bottom lip as he worked, and, apparently satisfied with whatever the markings were for, smiled to himself and put the piece of long wood on the table next to him. Reaching for a small sharp knife, Harry began slicing through the fabric at the points he'd marked.

Draco couldn't help but smile softly as he watched Harry work. He was obviously so into what he was doing he didn't even hear Draco walk through the door. When Harry started humming quietly to himself, Draco's smile grew, and he couldn't stop the small affectionate chuckle that escaped his lips.

Immediately Harry dropped his knife and snapped his head over to look at him, "Y-Your Highness!" he stuttered in surprise, immediately stepping away from the table and bowing low.

Draco almost melted as those bright emerald eyes slowly looked back up at him again, just like they'd done at the party. But as Harry stood there, both of them doing nothing but looking at each other, an uncomfortable silence greeted them, and Draco suddenly realised he didn't actually know what he was going to do once he'd seen Harry.

"Um, is there something I can do for you Your Highness?" Harry asked awkwardly after the short silence, keeping his head slightly bowed.

Draco eyed Harry and what he was wearing. Brown cotton breeches with random dyed stains on them, and as for his white shirt, well, _what_ white? That was just as colourful as everything else. He was definitely not as well turned out today then he was at the party, but somehow, he liked the Harry standing in front of him even more. All his life Draco had seen nothing but royals and courts men, governors and countesses, all the well dressed and well mannered people of the country. Harry was gorgeous at the party, but now, deep in work, hair ruffled and clothes that had seen what it was like to lead a life other then that of the Royal Court, to Draco Harry looked positively delectable.

Suddenly an image of one of his dreams came to his mind, where he was laying down on his bed, Harry crawling over him, a mischievous smile to his lips as he pinned Draco's arms to the bed and leant down, the sparkle in his eyes disappearing as his eyelids drifted shut, their lips pressing hungrily against each other…..

Draco suddenly felt a small shiver run down his spine and his breath caught in his throat. He looked away at the ground and swallowed nervously, hoping that he wasn't blushing.

Apparently though, he was.

"Umm…Sire, are you alright?" Harry asked, taking a step forward looking at Draco curiously.

Draco looked back up, and could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks. His heart was pounding in his chest as Harry took another step closer, and before he could even think about what he was saying, blurted out:

"I wanted to ask you something."

Harry stopped walking forwards as Draco started walking towards him, stopping by the end of the first long table, Harry standing between them. Draco looked at him, and noticed that as he had drawn closer, Harry had taken a step back.

"Ask me what Sire?" Harry asked when Draco didn't continue, and Draco noticed that Harry sounded, almost a little out of breath.

He took another step closer, and although Harry didn't move back, he seemed to tense slightly, his eyes a little wider then normal and….Draco blinked to make sure but…was he blushing too?

Draco smirked. Suddenly he didn't feel so alone in this feeling, and the knowledge that he had made him blush just by walking towards him sent a strange tingling sensation to his groin. The young man hadn't been able to take his eyes off Draco at the party, perhaps he felt an attraction just like Draco did.

"Yes, I wanted to ask you about…well, you." He said more confidently, the smirk still on his lips.

"Me?" Harry blinked.

"Yes. I ran into your sister a moment ago, she said you personally made this cloak for me is that correct?"

Harry's eyes went a little wider before softening, and he glanced away quickly, "Yes that is true Your Highness."

"She also said that…" Draco paused, wondering how this sentence might change everything, "…that you wanted to make it 'as perfect as the Prince himself.'" Draco paused there at Harry's reaction, which was to blush even more, "Is _that_ true?"

Harry couldn't seem to decide where to look. His eyes flickered between the floor and Draco's face, Draco's smirk softening slightly at his uneasiness. When Harry noticed that, he finally looked at him in the eyes. He continued to stare at him for a moment, a calculating look on his face as if trying to work something out. Then, suddenly, he didn't seem nervous anymore, he was….

Was he smirking?

Yes. Draco watched him, a kind of soft, bemused smile on his own face, for although he had a soft look in his eyes, Harry was definitely smirking at him.

"Yes…Your Highness," Harry said slowly, and like Draco realising Harry was blushing because of him, now had a more confident tone in his voice as well.

Draco narrowed his eyes slowly at him, trying to figure out if somehow between them, one knew what the other was thinking, and when Harry didn't loose his own little smirk, Draco smirked right back at him, "Is that so?" he said, the formality in his voice not so strong, in fact almost sounding a little flirtatious, as Harry very boldly took another step towards him. "Then let me ask you something else."

"Anything Sire." Harry breathed, now standing right in front of him.

Did Harry realise he was attracted to him? Was Harry attracted to him back? Draco had to will his brain to work for a second there what with Harry suddenly so close, and with that sparkle of mischief in his eyes that Draco had only dreamt about, Draco practically grinned inside.

Harry knew alright, he felt it, they both did.

So Draco decided to ask a very daring question "What would you have done if I had ordered you to kiss me at that party?"

Draco tried to keep a straighter face as possible, but with Harry's pause and almost enticing glance away then back up at him, Draco couldn't help that smirk returning.

"Then I would have kissed you Your Highness." Harry replied honestly, looking at him straight in the eyes.

Draco could feel his heart beat race again at that deep look, and once again had to force his brain to cooperate, his breathing becoming heavier, "And err…" he began, the confidence disappearing as Harry seemed to nudge a little closer to him, their faces barely inches apart, "…what would you do if I ordered you to kiss me now?"

Harry was so close he could see the bright and dark flecks of green in his eyes, "_Are_ you ordering me to kiss you Your Highness?" Harry asked slowly, not removing his eyes from their intense gaze into Draco's.

Draco was finding it difficult to breathe, "N-no…" he stuttered, the high class Prince part of himself feeling utterly embarrassed at his own behavior, "…but…" he tried again, as he felt Harry's warm breath on his lips. He was here, he was really here, right now, an inch forward and… "…I want you to." he breathed quietly, lost in those eyes before their lips finally met for the first time.

Neither of them closed their eyes for a moment. Both seemed to search the other for any resistance, any hesitation, but when both complied, and neither pulled away, the tender, gentle meeting of soft dry lips against soft dry lips suddenly turned into a feverish rush, as if both had been waiting for this exact thing to happen. As soon as Harry pressed his tongue against Draco's lips for entrance, he was immediately accepted, and both fell into a wild passionate heat of a kiss that washed over them like flames licking every sense in their bodies. Draco immediately wrapped one arm around Harry's neck and buried his other hand in his hair, pulling him closer and deeper. Harry's hands didn't seem to know what to hold, wanting everything all at once, and ended up running his hands up and down Draco's back as their stomachs and chests were pressed tightly together.

Their tongues battled against each other, Harry suddenly pressing forward causing Draco to take a step back, the back of his thighs hitting the side of the table and falling back onto it, bringing Harry down with him, crumpling the large piece of red cotton they'd fallen back on to. They didn't break the kiss for long, both panting for breath against each other's lips before diving back into the hot recess of each others mouths. Harry pinned Draco's arms to the table, causing the young Prince to squirm underneath him, their groins pressing together at the end of the table making Draco moan blissfully into their kiss.

Draco was in paradise. He loved this, he loved this feeling, and sod the tingling sensation, he was aroused! He pushed up into Harry, causing the brunette to moan back into their kiss, their kiss, if even possible, heating up even more. Draco couldn't breathe, but he didn't care. He didn't want this to stop. He was pinned to a table being ravished by the one person he'd been fantasizing about all week. Being the Prince he'd always got what he wanted, never had any one question him, so for this to happen, this…forcefulness…he liked it. He liked it a lot. He wanted Harry to order him to do things. He wanted to be the one to feel like he belonged to someone else. He wanted to feel that mischievous gaze and that smirk that promised Draco he'd be writhing on his bed, panting desperately, incoherent and at Harry's every whim…

Draco tried to grin but it was a little impossible at this moment. This wasn't how a Prince was supposed to act, not with a woman, and a man? It had never been heard of! It was inappropriate. It was naughty. It was wrong.

It was heaven.

"Wha—Your Highness!"

Immediately Harry shot up from the table, Draco half falling off it and stumbling back upright in panic, both of them staring wide eyed at the door that Sirius had just walked through.

They did nothing but stare at each other for a moment, both Harry and Draco slightly out of breath, rosy cheeks and well kissed lips, while Sirius just stood there not quite sure if he'd just seen what he thought he had, and took one attentive step forward.

"Umm…" he began, brows furrowed, "You must not run off like that Your Highness. I cannot protect you if I don't know where you are."

Draco had known Sirius since he was basically born, always seeing him in his memories standing close by, hair tied back loosely and sword ready and waiting to impale anyone who tried to hurt the young Prince. It was because of this Sirius had managed to get away every now and then with telling Draco off for doing something he shouldn't do, and although Draco would normally yell at him for it, would not kick him out the castle like he'd done with a poor stressed servant girl a few years ago.

But somehow Draco couldn't find the words to yell at him for telling him to stay close by, he was far too preoccupied with knowing if Sirius had really seen what he and Harry had been doing, even though it was incredibly obvious, would he say anything?

"Sorry…" he said quietly, eyes still wide, Sirius's eyes widening further at the fact his Prince had actually apologised.

"Yes…" Sirius said awkwardly, watching as Harry stood a little behind Draco, "Y-your mother wants to you to-"

"You will not tell anyone Sirius." Draco suddenly exclaimed, panic evident in his eyes.

It was not a question, it was a statement. If his parents, or heck anyone with the way gossip got around the castle, found out about this….Draco didn't want to think about what would happen. Neither spoke of exactly what the other was talking about, neither wanting to admit out loud what had just happened, but an un-said agreement passed between them that yes, Sirius had indeed seen.

Sirius looked at the ground, before glancing up at him, nodding curtly, "Of course Sire." He said quietly, before clearing his throat uncomfortably, "Now, your mother requests your presence at a courthouse meeting." He said quickly to help with the awkward atmosphere.

"Yes, of course." Draco said, his heartbeat finally subsiding its race of fear, and knowing now was not the time to unfortunately be thinking of Harry, walked away from him without looking back and walked past Sirius, out through the door.

Sirius turned around and followed him, but paused at the door, looking over his shoulder. He looked at Harry, standing there with a still slightly shocked expression on his face, before he narrowed his eyes at him and looked away, closing the door behind him.

_27th December 2005_

Draco leant against the desk in Harry's room, watching as Seamus sat down next to Harry on his bed and frowned at him worried, "You sure you're okay?" he asked gently, "I mean you practically collapsed out there."

Harry rubbed his scar for a moment, before he stopped and put his hand down, "I'm fine, really." He smiled, "I just….felt a bit weird that's all."

"A bit weird?" Seamus repeated unbelievingly, "Harry you collapsed to the floor clutching that scar looking like you were about to faint from pain, that's a little more then 'a bit weird'".

That was exactly Draco's thoughts. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at Harry's scar in thought. He'd have to ask Ron about that. When Harry came here Ron had mentioned something about a Lightning Bolt mark and it having something to do with reincarnated souls. It was too much of a coincidence for Harry to have grasped that small scar down by the Lake, the Lake that had ended Draco's life.

It had been 906 years ago yesterday that it had happened, when Harry had been killed and Draco had taken his own life. Draco narrowed his eyes in anger at the memory. Sirius Black, that traitor. The man had spent his whole life protecting the royal family then protecting Draco when he was born. He was sworn to keep the Prince happy and protected, and then had murdered the one person that had truly kept him happy.

Harry chuckled warmly, "Seamus, I'm _fine_, I just, I don't know, it was just a headache, maybe I just need more sleep or something."

Seamus looked like he'd been told the most obvious lie, "A headache?" he repeated flatly.

Harry glanced at him, saw his expression, then glanced at him again, "What?"

Seamus rolled his eyes, "Okay okay, I get it, you don't want to talk about whatever the hell just happened." He smiled at him.

Just then the door to Harry's room opened and in stepped Dean, carrying three plastic cups of coffee from the vending machine down the hall.

"Hey, you still alive Harry?" he quipped, walking straight through Draco as Harry glared playfully at him.

"Yes thank you."

Dean grinned and handed him and Seamus a cup and sat down next to him the other side.

"Well he says he's alright," Seamus said, "But stop doing that would you?"

Harry blinked at him, taking a sip from his cup, "Doing what?"

"That." he nodded at Harry's hand which had gone back to rubbing his scar again.

Harry paused when he realised what he was doing and took his hand down again, "Sorry."

"Is it hurting?" Dean asked.

"No, just…itches a bit I guess."

"That's weird," Seamus commented, looking at the scar, "Mind you that scar has always been weird. You've got to be the first person ever to be _born_ with a scar, I mean it's not like you can inherit them."

"Yeah." Harry agreed idly, looking past Seamus to the one window in his room, new snowflakes gently beginning to fall. Harry slowly got up from the bed, placing his cup of coffee on his desk right next to where Draco was standing, and walked over to it, looking out to the Lake in the distance. "It just hurt a bit when we were by the Lake."

Seamus and Dean glanced at each other, before turning and watching Harry frown through the window. It was a sad frown, but somehow it seemed angry too.

"I don't like that Lake." Harry said darkly, arms folded across his chest as he stared out to the water in the distance.

At that comment Draco walked over to him, eyes curious at that dark expression in those green eyes. It was definitely too much of a coincidence. Harry could feel something, could sense it, and it had something to do with that scar.

Dean blinked at him, almost amused, "You don't like the Lake?" he asked, before he chuckled, "What did it ever do to you?"

Harry continued to glare at it for a moment, before he turned to him and smiled, "I don't know."

Looking back at Dean meant Harry had smiled straight at Draco standing beside him. For a brief moment it was like Harry was truly smiling at him alone and Draco smiled back softly, wishing that were so.

Seamus grinned at him, "Well, look, if you're sure you're feeling alright, Dean and I are going to go down to Hogsmede to find some costumes for the fancy dress party on New Years Eve, wanna come with?"

"Sure," Harry replied, moving away from the window, "But let me just take a shower first, I think I need to clear my head a little."

"Sure, we've got to defrost Dean's car anyway." Seamus grinned, the two of them standing up from the bed, Dean grimacing at the thought of his poor little rundown car frozen in the icy weather.

* * *

Okay, so he _was_ going to call Ron and get him to explain about the whole reincarnation thing, but Draco just couldn't pull himself away from Harry. Even in the shower, even when Draco stood in the changing rooms alone while Harry took his shower in one of the cubicles, he still couldn't pull himself away. He didn't know how long he was going to have with Harry here before he graduated and moved on, so right now the more important thing was to be near him.

Being half way through the morning there was no one else in the showers or changing room, so the running water from Harry's shower was the only noise in the adjoined rooms, as Draco sat on a wooden bench next to a row of metal lockers. Although he couldn't see Harry, it was just comforting to know he was just nearby, and Draco leant back on the wall and closed his eyes listening to the running water.

"Hey Princey!"

Draco groaned softly and opened one eye to see Fred and George walking upside down on the ceiling above him.

"What are you doing?" Draco sighed.

"Could ask you the same question." George grinned as they both flipped over and landed back upright on the ground again. "Why don't you watch him?" he said, nodding over to the shower with Harry inside.

Draco's eyes went wide and felt like his heart just stopped in his chest, "…excuse me?"

"Yeah, if I'd been waiting over 900 years to see my reincarnated love I'd so be spying on them in the shower." Fred smirked, ignoring the incredulous look on Draco's face.

"Forget spying you could go _in_ the shower with them! They wouldn't know!" George grinned.

"Hey _yeah_!" Fred exclaimed, before pretending to hold up a towel around himself and running around the room screaming in a high pitched voice: "Oh no you bad perverted ghost you!" as George began chasing him around the lockers, both laughing their heads off when George caught him around the waist and tackled him to the ground.

Draco stayed motionless on his seat as a small blush began to creep its way onto his cheeks, the thought of stepping into the shower with Harry making a very vivid image in his mind, before he shook his head and stood up, glaring at the laughing twins.

"Yes well that's the difference between you and I isn't it?" he said, trying to push away that blush, "You're just a pair of perverted commoners. I, on the other hand, have class. Now get out!" he demanded, pointing to the door.

Fred and George both attempted to stay upright as they stumbled over to the wall laughing, "Hey just 'cause you've got class doesn't mean you can't be pervert!" they shouted out to him in union, before disappearing through the wall, their laughter drifting away.

Growling low in annoyance, Draco walked back over to his bench and sat back down, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes again. Who did those idiots think they were? How dare they suggest he'd spy on Harry, he always gave him his own privacy, because it was wrong to watch someone. Dead or alive, it wasn't right. Just because Harry was completely naked and dripping wet 10 feet away from him was no excuse to go peering in on him.

Draco grit his teeth in embarrassment at the blush that deepened on his cheeks with that thought.

Opening his eyes he sat forward and leant his arms on his knees, staring in the other direction to where Harry was. He sighed, staring at the floor, tapping his fingers together listening to the hot water and unable to keep the sudden thought of that mischievous smirk in Harry's eyes as he pulled an equally naked Draco into the shower with him…

Draco shook his head and stood up, running his hands over his face in annoyance at the images those twins had now put in his head. He walked a little further away down the room, sitting on another bench at the other side of the lockers further away from Harry. He needed to get these images out of his mind, it wouldn't do him any good, not the images of the raven haired boy running his hands up and down his wet body as those water droplets dripped from his hair and….

Draco's eyes shot open, his face bright red.

"This is ridiculous." He growled at himself, standing up, "I'm going to find Ron and ask about that scar." He told himself flatly, walking towards the door.

But he stopped before he walked through, and glanced back at the showers.

He bit his bottom lip at the thought of just quickly peering in through that door of the shower cubicle, before quickly shaking his head again, "No." he told himself, and walked through the door.

Before walking straight back in again.

Draco stood there staring at Harry's shower door. He could feel his heartbeat racing in his chest, and he swallowed loudly.

He couldn't…could he?

He attentively took a step forward, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides in nervousness, and walked through into the shower room. He stopped outside Harry's door, steam rising from the top, a white towel draped over the top of the door. _I shouldn't do this,_he thought to himself, despite the fact his hand reached out to the door. All he could hear were the twins and 'He wouldn't know' running through his mind.

_He wouldn't know…_

Draco's hand stopped before the door, and he smiled, smirked even, just softly to himself. Harry wouldn't know, the twins wouldn't know so he wouldn't have to be teased by them for giving in to temptation, so…did it really matter? Just a peak…no one would know…

Draco grinned to himself and took a step through the door, but immediately the door was pulled back, and he stumbled backwards in surprise when Harry stepped out of the shower wrapping the white towel around his waist. Dripping wet and his hair sticking up in random places, Harry suddenly stopped, right in front of Draco who stood there blushing like mad at the sudden close proximity of a half naked wet Harry, and frowned.

He was looking straight at Draco's eyes, before he glanced around the room. "Hello?" he called out, Draco trying to calm down his racing heartbeat, "Is someone there?" Harry called out again.

Receiving no answer, Harry shrugged to himself, scratched at his scar, then grabbed a smaller white towel on a warming bar across the wall opposite and rubbed his hair with it.

Draco still stood there staring at the now empty shower cubicle, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of his nose with his hand. He really had to calm down and get his hormones under control. He was glad Harry had stepped out then; he had that towel around his waist, so Draco hadn't seen everything that his mind had been hoping for a few seconds before. He felt horrible he'd just tried to do that, and decided there and then that he really was going to go back up to the common room right now and call for Ron, get his mind off those damn twins and the erotic thoughts they were giving him about Harry.

Turning around and somehow managing not to look at Harry as he dried himself off, he walked through the wall out to the corridor, ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind screaming one little word over and over again in disappointment:

_Bugger._

To Be Continued…

**AN**: Notes for this chapter in the usual place, the link at the bottom of my profile.


	5. Chapter 4: Smile

**AN:**Okay, this is where the possible OOCness I warned about you at the beginning of the story might pop in, cos this is a chapter where my overly romantic side pops in too hehe.

**Chapter 4: Smile**

_14th August 1097  
_  
Apart from the initial worry, having Sirius walk in on them kissing had actually turned out to be very handy. Now Draco had someone he could send down to the servant quarters without raising suspicion as to why the Prince was down there.

It had been four days since they'd kissed, and Draco had constantly sent Sirius down to see if Harry was free, but every time Sirius would come back saying he either couldn't find him or was he busy with the rest of his family working. The life of a servant he supposed. Draco found it very frustrating that he had all this free time to do nothing but think of Harry, while Harry was probably happily unaware of the frustration he was in and just busily made orders for the castle. Well, Draco called it free time, public appearances and more meetings after meetings that he wasn't interested in in the first place was free time for his mind to wander. He tried to pay attention, after all running the country would be a job he'd inherit when he became King, but day dreaming about Harry was all his brain could muster.

He'd see him sometimes with his father and sister by the Lake, dying cloth in the water, and he'd watch him from his bedroom window. He'd also seen his mother a couple of times carry laundry down the halls from the royal quarters. He guessed it was her, because her eyes matched Harry's perfectly.

Today he'd sent Sirius down five times to see if Harry was busy, and this time, coming up to early evening, Sirius had returned saying he couldn't find him. Again. Draco was annoyed enough at having no idea how Harry felt about him after that kiss, whether or not it was going to be a spur of the moment thing and nothing else, so had shoved Sirius out the way and decided to go down to his favourite spot by the Lake and just relax for a while.

Heading round the side of the castle, the sun slowly setting into the mountains leaving a golden shimmer across the Lake, Draco walked towards a young willow tree, away from prying eyes from windows in the castle, and pulled back the curtain of dangling branches and soft green leaves to find someone already there.

Sitting with his back against the tree trunk, a book in his hands, was Harry.

Harry's head shot up when Draco walked through, obviously having not expected anyone else here, but his expression softened when he saw it was Draco, and Draco in turn tried to will the rest of his body not to soften and melt at seeing him too. Draco hadn't expected at all to see Harry here. Everyone knew this was the Princes place to come, but he guessed no one had told the Potters when they arrived.

Not that he was currently complaining.

There was a moments awkward silence between them, Draco having no idea what to say or do after leaving so suddenly from that kiss, but slowly Harry closed the book he was reading and stood up from the ground, brushing down his clean brown breeches for a change, and looking back up at him.

"I apologise Your Highness." he said softly, bowing his head and turning around to leave.

"Wait!" Draco called out, not that he knew what he was going to do.

Harry stopped and turned back to him.

"It…" Draco began, having to look at the grass below him, unable to look at him in the eyes, "…it feels strange…to have you call me that…after we…" He trailed off quietly.

Goodness he'd never felt like this. He didn't know what to do. He could feel the heat in his cheeks as he stared at the ground, his pulse racing, and Harry hadn't even done anything but stand there. He had to know what was happening between them, he had to know if that one kiss was going to be just that, one kiss, or if he'd be able to feel those warm arms around him again. He hoped so, he hoped so so so so much.

Suddenly Harry stepped forward onto the patch of grass Draco was staring at, and he looked up, just time in to see Harry wrap and arm around his waist and press his lips to his, kissing him softly. After the sudden unexpected shock, Draco's eyes immediately fluttered closed and Harry's other hand cradled the back of his neck gently. Draco melted completely in to him, managing to raise one hand to clasp at Harry's shirt by his shoulder.

This was very much a different kiss to the one they shared before. Their first one was a fiery kiss, heat that poured from one to the other, letting loose some inside desire they'd both apparently had for each other. But this one, this was, gentle, but so passionate. Harry's tongue swept through Draco's mouth so slowly that Draco found his knees going weak, and he leant further into him, clutching at his shirt, unable to keep back the moan deep from his throat at the feel of Harry's tongue against his own, his arm keeping him close around his waist, his warm hand at the base of his neck with his fingers running through his hair, and that body…pressed so eagerly against his own…

Draco couldn't take anymore. An overwhelming feeling of love flooded through him and he flung his arms around Harry's neck, turning their slow and tender kiss back into that fiery rush of heat that consumed him, devouring every inch of Harry's mouth. Whatever was happening, whatever caused this feeling, whatever it was about Harry that drove him wild Draco didn't care. He felt like he'd been waiting for Harry his whole life, like his heart had already belonged to him before they'd even met. He knew nothing about him, they'd only spoken a few words to each other, they'd only seen each other a few times, but from that very moment at that party, when those brilliant green eyes had looked up in to his own, he knew he was in love.

He loved him. He didn't know why, he didn't care why, all he knew is what he felt, and what he felt made his heart flutter and his body ache to hold the boy currently in his arms. He wanted to kiss him everywhere, _be_ kissed by him everywhere, he wanted to know everything about him, from his childhood to the moment Harry realised he felt this way about him too. He wanted him, in every way you could possibly want someone, Draco wanted Harry.

The two of them were beginning to gasp for breath, and they slowly sank to the ground, still wrapped in each other's arms. Harry had broken the kiss and had latched his mouth on to Draco's throat, sucking, licking and kissing every inch of skin there. Draco had his head tilted far back and his eyes closed, sighing blissfully before slowly falling backwards onto the grass, Harry falling down on top of him and placing his lips back on Draco's once again. With one leg in between Draco's, Harry kept his arms by Draco's head as he kissed him, back to the soft and seemingly so intimate kiss. Draco just lay there, his own arms wrapped around Harry's shoulders, lustful eyes opening briefly to look at the blurred face so close to his, before drifting shut once again.

Draco wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, just kissing softly, but by the time they stopped and Harry rested his forehead against Draco's shoulder, the sun had already set behind the mountains, leaving nothing but a dark purple glow in the horizon, the first few stars beginning to peak their way through the ever coming darkness. Draco's heart was still pounding away in his chest as he lay there, just holding Harry's warm body close to his own.

"What can I call you?"

Draco blinked as Harry raised his head and looked back down at him.

"If calling you Your Highness sounds strange for you…"

Draco smiled shyly, glancing away before looking back at him again, "Draco. Just Draco." He said softly.

Harry smiled warmly at him, "Draco." He repeated.

It was only ever his parents who called him by his name, everyone else called him either Your Highness or Sire, so to hear his name from those lips he'd quickly grown to know, accompanied by that boyish smile, Draco felt a shiver run down his spine and he smiled back, before raising one hand to softly stroke down his cheek, and both knowing what the other was thinking, found each other's lips once again.

* * *

"I've been dying to hold you like this, and…to kiss you."

Harry was leaning back against the willow tree, Draco sitting between his legs leaning back on his chest. Harry had wrapped his arms around him and held him close, while Draco had placed one of his own arms over Harry's, gently stroking his fingers across his shirt just above his elbow. They'd been like this for half an hour, just watching the world go by and talking, he long draping branches of the willow tree dipping into the lake, the lake gently shimmering in the moonlight.

Draco smiled softly, his eyes closed, "For how long?"

"Since I saw you last year," Harry replied gently, "Your royal carriage was passing through our village; both me and my sister saw you." Draco felt Harry move slightly behind him before he felt a pair of lips softly kiss his right cheek, "Ever since then you were all I could think about. I can't believe this has actually happened."

Draco could feel Harry smile against his neck, and Draco couldn't hide the grin passed over his lips, "When I saw you at my mother's party, I couldn't stop thinking about you after that either."

"Really?" he heard Harry ask, and Draco nodded softly.

"I couldn't look away from you when all you did was stare at me, which reminds me," he smiled, "Why were you late that day? Your father didn't look to happy."

"Heh, actually," Harry said, sounding a little embarrassed, "I wasn't late, I was just hiding in the line of people waiting to meet you. I was so nervous on meeting you and worried you wouldn't like the gift I'd made I panicked." Draco smiled and snuggled a little further into him, his other hand picking up the hem of the velvet green cloak he was wearing. Harry saw him and smiled, "I've noticed you wear it nearly all the time."

"That's true." He smiled, before he chuckled quietly when he remembered what his sister had said to him, "And what was this about wanting to make this cloak as perfect as the Prince himself?" He could hear Harry groan and chuckle behind him, "Didn't your sister wonder why you were saying that?"

"I don't think she noticed, she's had a crush on you too since she saw you, so she was probably too busy agreeing with me then to wonder why her brother was saying something like that." There was a pause before he continued, "Although I have to admit after that I had to make sure not to let anything slip, especially in front of my parents."

There was a moments silence between them, Draco looking serenely up to the branches above him, wondering, "When I realised I was…attracted," it felt strange saying that out loud, "to you, I wondered if it was wrong, but in the end I didn't care. Did you not think it was wrong to like me like this?"

"No…" Harry started, "…well, yes, but I didn't care either. I let myself feel like that because at the time I knew there was no way I could ever be with you, so no harm would come from it." He smiled against Draco's neck again, "So much for that theory."

Draco chuckled softly again, and the night air silence greeted them once more, but a nice, warm, comfortable silence.

"Can we really do this?" Harry asked quietly after a few minutes. "I really want to be with you but…I can't see anyone else being okay with this, especially as you're the Prince, and of course the minor little detail that neither of us is a girl."

Draco smiled briefly at that comment, before frowning softly in thought. Could they really get away with this? His mother was so insistent on finding a bride for him, and they could never go anywhere together. Every time they'd meet it would have to be in secret, their relationship would have to be one in shadows, and lies towards others. His whole life Draco had known nothing but expensive clothes and people waiting on him hand and foot. Seen nothing but the sophisticated ways of the High Courts and people always making sure he said the right thing at the right time with the right behaviour in the right places. Everything was in the light, everything was his.

But not once had he smiled, except with Harry.

In the light he had everything, and if in the dark was the one thing he actually wanted, then the dark would be where he could smile.

So Draco smiled, "If you don't mind keeping us a secret?"

"No."

"We'd have to be careful no one sees us together."

"I know."

"You'd still have to call me Your Highness around others."

"Yes."

"You really wouldn't mind staying in the dark with me?"

There was a moments silence before Draco opened his eyes when he felt Harry's hand on his cheek, moving his head to look at his shoulder. Harry shifted behind him, bending his right leg to place his foot flat on the ground, giving himself a better angle as he leant over Draco's shoulder and kissed him. It was soft, sensual kiss, but Draco kept his eyes open. He looked lovingly at the face in front of him, deciding whole heartedly he could very easily get used to this kind of attention. Harry pulled back after a short while and smiled fondly at him, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him from the side.

"I don't care what I have to do to be with you." He whispered against his ear, "All I know is that if you want to be with me too, I'll make sure we'll stay a secret forever, for as long as it takes."

Draco's eyes softened and his heart skipped a beat at those words. He wrapped his arms around him too and held him close. He could feel the mix of his own heartbeat and Harry's as their chests were pressed together, and right there and then Draco had never felt so happy. He had someone to hold, someone he could be himself with instead of putting on an attitude that suited the occasion. He had someone to love, someone who loved him too, and he knew that that feeling would only grow deeper the more they knew about each other.

He held on to the back of Harry's shirt tightly, not wanting to let this warmth he'd found disappear. "Harry…" Draco began, his cheeks reddening at the thought that had just entered his mind, "…come…back with me." He whispered quietly, rubbing Harry's back gently, "Come back to…to my bedroom with me." He said, his head resting on Harry's shoulder facing his neck, breathing softly and finding the edge of Harry's shirt with his hand, running one hand up underneath, brushing his fingers tips against his skin.

He could have sworn he felt Harry shudder at his touch, and could hear his breath hitch in his throat for a moment. Draco smiled against his neck.

"Draco…" Harry whispered, his voice sounding a little hoarser then before, and still hearing his name from Harry's lips sending a shiver down Draco's spine.

Draco looked up at him, his eyes darker with a building desire, and he leant forward, whispering right against his lips, "I want to be with you," he closed his eyes, bringing his body closer, "I want to feel you." And he gently pressed his lips against Harry's, running the tip of his tongue across Harry's bottom lip, hinting to what he wanted, but unable to say it aloud.

Harry immediately took that tongue into his mouth, sucking gently if only for a few seconds, causing Draco to feel a little light headed when he pulled away. Harry rested his forehead on Draco's and smiled rather flirtatiously, "I don't know where the royal quarters are. Little servants like me aren't allowed to know these things."

Draco matched his smirk back and kissed him briefly again, before standing up from the ground and grabbing Harry's arm.

"I supposed I can give you the personal guided tour." He smirked, Harry grinning right back at him.

He couldn't stop the smile on his face as he pulled back the curtain of leaves from the willow tree out towards the castle again. He was taking Harry back to his room! Where they could….well, _what_ Draco wasn't entirely sure, but he got the feeling the night was going to be long and fun in so many way—"

"SIRIUS?"

As Draco walked out away from the willow tree, Harry along beside him, he saw Sirius step away from the other side of the tree trunk.

"Yes Your Highness?" he answered calmly, the silver chain mail on his chest twinkling in the moonlight, the rest of him seemingly cast in shadows with his black uniform against the darkened surroundings.

Draco just stared at him incredulously, "What are you doing out here!" he demanded, trying not to believe that he had been standing there the whole time, and apparently Harry had had the same thought for his cheeks started to redden and what he might have heard, or even seen.

"I am looking out for you, as always Sire." Sirius replied just as calmly.

"You can't follow me everywhere Sirius!" Draco said, glaring at his bodyguard.

"I'm afraid Sire that I can, I must always be here to protect you, you know that."

"Not this time!" Draco yelled at him, "Now go away!"

"I cannot do that."

"That's an order!"

"It is one order I cannot follow Your Highness." Sirius said, his voice a little strained this time, "You are the most precious thing to this country, I am indifferent to what you do with your time but I must always remain by your side. It is an order from the country herself, Your Highness, and it is one," he said, shifting his eyes to look at Harry briefly, "that no one can make me disobey."

Draco glared, absolutely furious at him, knowing that his little supposed secret alone meeting with Harry had all be overheard by Sirius. Had there been any time in his whole _life_ that this man had left him alone? But, unfortunately Draco knew very well that he wouldn't leave him alone, and even if he did and his parents found out, it would be Draco to get the blame and his parents would probably enforce five more bodyguards on him to follow him around everywhere, and he could really do without that.

Draco gritted his teeth, his hand clutching angrily at Harry's shirt on his arm, "Fine." He spat through gritted teeth, and turned on his heel, planning to storm back up to the castle. Talk about a mood breaker, now he was just angry!

"Excuse me Your Highness but may I ask how you exactly intend on getting Mr Potter into your room without anyone noticing?"

Draco stopped. Sighing in frustration he turned back around, "He's a tailor. If anyone asks I can just say he's in my room for a fitting."

"And what if there is a next time for this Sire? Too many 'fittings' will start to get suspicious."

Draco glared at him. Like any of this was his business in the first place. "Then I shall deal with that when the time comes. And don't you _dare_ come in to my room." He added dangerously, before turning back around and leading Harry away back to the castle.

* * *

"That must be frustrating, having him around all the time." Harry commented as they walked towards Draco's royal quarters.

They had had to go back to filling their roles, as servants and soldiers wandered around the castle, so Harry walked a few steps behind Draco, letting the young Prince lead with an angry stride.

"You have no idea." Draco said through gritted teeth.

Sirius Black was both a blessing and a curse. True he had a servant around him whenever he needed one, and a very loyal one at that, but at times when all Draco wanted to do was to be left alone, away from his family and away from just everyone, Sirius would still be there, standing in the shadows just watching, ready and waiting to protect him. The only time he ever left him alone was at night. Even bodyguards needed sleep, but the man always ensured there was practically an army of guards outside his bedroom door, and had instructed them to call him immediately if there was any trouble.

When he was younger, he had adored Sirius. His parents had never paid much attention to him, so when he was alone, the only person he had to play with was Sirius. The man never spoke much, but he would smile at him, a gentle smile that made Draco feel he wasn't just an heir to the throne, but a person. In his later years though, the now 17 year old Draco was getting entirely fed up of his constant presence, and had tried dozens of times to escape from him, but Sirius always found him, as was his training as a solider.

Harry walked calmly behind the enraged Draco as he flew open the large dark wooden door to his royal chambers and stormed through, Harry following.

"I cannot apologise enough for him being there," Draco said, still angry, "It doesn't matter what I do I can't get rid of him he-" Draco stopped his ranting when he looked back at Harry who stood in the open doorway staring with a gaping mouth into the room. Draco looked around him, "What is it?" he asked.

Harry took a few steps in to the room, moving his hands behind him to shut the door but not taking his eyes off the magnificent room he'd just stepped into.

The most humongous red clothed four poster bed was in the centre of the room pushed up against the stone wall. The stone walls themselves practically gleamed, shimmering with what looked like gold flakes. At least that's what you could see of the walls, as most where covered with huge tapestries of gold and red, paintings of various royal members of the family going back generations. White fur rugs on the floor from what animal Harry couldn't tell, and a roaring fireplace with a flume so huge it could have easily been another room itself. The ceiling was high and pointed, being at the top of the tower, while various cupboards and desks and statues decorated the rest of the room.

Harry was in awe, "Your bedroom is bigger then our house." He said quietly.

Draco stood by one of the wooden posts at the end of his bed and looked around awkwardly. He didn't think his bedroom was that big was it?

"Well, if you like it," Draco said, smiling to himself and looking away at the floor, a sudden feeling of confidence washing over him now he was here, and un-did the silver Celtic clasp of his cloak by his throat "You can come up here again." he looked back up at him slowly, a glint in his grey eyes as he let Harry's cloak he made fall from his back and drape across the end of his bed, knowing all too well how flirtatious he was being, and apparently so did Harry. In the next moment Harry had stopped looking at the room and instead had turned his attention back to his Prince, and had crossed the room swiftly and gathered Draco in his arms again.

Immediately their lips were on each other's again, and Draco 'accidentally' fell backwards onto his bed, the soft sheets and blankets cushioning his body against Harry's. He leant up on his elbows, trying to move backwards to the top of his bed and not break his kiss with Harry at the same time, which somehow they managed to do as Harry crawled along on top of him.

When they got to the pillows Draco sank back into the bed and Harry moulded his body on top of his, one hand in Draco's hair, the other hungrily running down his side. Draco couldn't believe this was happening, as Harry ran his hand under Draco's thigh and lifted his leg so it bent at the knee. Only a few days ago he'd had this dream of being pinned to the bed and ravished by this young man, and here he was, for real!

Draco couldn't get enough of Harry's mouth, their kisses hungry and urgent, Draco running his hand up underneath Harry's shirt again, when he suddenly realised…

He had no idea what he was doing.

"Harry." Draco breathed as their kiss broke for a moment, Harry capturing his bottom lip in a sweet kiss for a moment before pulling back a little to look at him, "Do you have…any idea what your doing?"

Harry seemed to think about that for a moment, before he answered with a smile, "No idea." He said, before he bowed his head to Draco's neck and ran his tongue up along the side up to just under his ear, Draco shivering at the touch and his eyes falling shut, "But that makes it more interesting." he added, before he nipped playfully at the top of Draco's ear, when in doing so Draco practically yelped! Not in pain, but surprise, and the deepest blush spread across his cheeks that he felt just as surprised about himself. He clamped a hand to his ear and stared up at Harry with wide eyes.

What heck was that? That one little touch of his ear and Draco felt like every nerve in his body was suddenly on fire. Harry blinked down at him just as confused as Draco, before a realisation seemed to cross over his eyes and he grinned.

"Like where to touch you for instance." He smirked, and he removed Draco's hand and leant down again, licking at that same spot on his right ear, Draco letting out a small array of gasps, eyes shut and mouth slightly open.

"H-Har…ry…" he stuttered, both hands clutching at Harry's shoulders, not believing the sensation that one little movement had on him.

Ok, so he had very, very…._very_ sensitive ears.

"Oohhh…" Draco groaned, as one of Harry's hands found their way under Draco's tunic and skimmed across his untouched skin, "S-stop…" he tried, not that he actually wanted to stop, it was just the sensation was driving him wild, he'd never felt this before. He arched up to Harry's body, getting more and more aroused , wanting to feel Harry's skin on his own desperately as he pulled at his shirt. "H-Harry….please…."

He had no idea why he was saying please, he had no idea what he was asking for. He squirmed underneath him, his cheeks still a deep red, and Harry finally stopped his assault on Draco's ear and grabbed his wrists, gently pinning them with one hand above his head on the pillow. Draco felt his heart skip a beat, for the billionth time that evening, for this was his dream again, Harry pinning him to the bed and looking down at him, his eyes concentrating on nothing but him.

Harry leant in close, nose to nose, "You're definitely sure you want this to happen?" he asked quietly, "Because if it does, I'm not going to want to leave you."

Draco stared back into those emerald eyes, sincere, yet darkened at their own desire too, just like Draco's. He barely knew him, but already it felt like he'd loved him forever, and doing this…this, intimacy, even though he had no idea what was actually going to happen, Draco could find no reason as to why they should stop.

Harry was already his smile, so why should he have to stop smiling?

In answer, Draco lifted his head slightly from the pillow and kissed him softly, just lips on lips and nothing more, but it was all the answer Harry needed. Draco let his head fall back to the soft pillows, eyes closed and breathing suddenly slow, as Harry kissed down his neck again, his fingers working at the ties on Draco's tunic.

Draco stared up to the wooden bed covering where the rich red curtains hung from around the bed, and lay there lost in a dream. Whatever was going to happen tonight, and whatever would happen in the future, this would be something he would never regret, and something he'd cherish forever.

_Present Time_

As Draco, pushing all thoughts of a naked Harry to the back of his mind, walked back towards the common room to call Ron, he remembered back to what Ron had explained to him when he became a ghost back on Earth. Apparently while he was in Limbo it was supposed to be Hermione that was to tell him about the three stages, but at the time Draco didn't want to hear anything she or anyone else had to say, and just demanded to be sent back down to Earth to see Harry. No matter how angry she'd got at him, Draco just refused to listen. So, it had been up to Ron to explain after Draco was sent back down to Earth as a ghost.

There were three stages in the Afterlife. When a person died, their soul was sent to Limbo, to go through the three stages before entering Heaven or Hell. Limbo was the place between Heaven and Hell where Demons and Angels worked together to give each soul a fair trail. After all having souls judged by only one side was not considered fair, so each "department" of Limbo was run by an Arch Angel and a Higher Demon.

First of all, to which no soul is ever aware of or remembers afterwards, is the Reincarnation Division, or Rec Dev as Ron had called it. When Draco had asked him Ron didn't know which Demon and Angel ran that department, as no one ever really saw anyone from that part at all.

This was where every soul goes first, and is split into two groups. One group contained the souls that had been murdered, where their lives had been cut short from what they had been given. These souls were immediately reincarnated with no memory of the Afterlife in any way, and were given a second chance at a new life. This is what had happened to Harry. The second group was every one else, most of which who had died of old age or natural causes. Those in the second group moved on to the second stage, The Hall of Wandering Souls, or again as Ron called it, simply WS. This was where Ron worked.

The WS was run by the Arch Angel Hermione and a Higher Demon by the name of Zabini. Although Draco didn't remember seeing any Demons in his short time in Limbo, Ron had said they looked exactly like Angels expect had black wings instead of white, and obviously no halo. At least that was the colouring of the lesser Angels and Demons, the Arch Angels had golden Wings, and the Higher Demons had red. Ron had said the first time he saw Zabini he scared the heck out of him. "I don't like any Higher Demon," he'd said, "Their wings looked like they've been stained with blood."

The WS was where souls were given a choice. If they had "unfinished" business on Earth, they were allowed to return as a wandering spirit, or they could continue on to the third and final stage. Souls who decided to return to Earth would be assigned a Guiding Angel to help them, and when the time came, would return to Limbo to be sent to the third stage.

The third stage was the Judgment Bureau, where each soul would be judged and sent to either Heaven or Hell. This crucial stage was of course run by God and Lucifer themselves.

He remembered after a few days as a spirit on Earth when Ron arrived. Hermione, in one of her very rare appearances on Earth, brought him down to introduce them and told Draco he would be his Guiding Angel. Draco was furious at this news. He was the Prince for heavens sake, he didn't want a new amateur angel to help him find Harry, he'd take ages! Ron had died a few days after Draco, although with the time difference between Earth and the Afterlife, Ron had already been training for a month.

Running these memories over in his mind was just getting Draco angry at Ron as he found himself storming towards the common room in Gryffindor Tower to ask him about Harry's scar. 900 bloody years it took him to find Harry's soul and get him here. 900! And not only that he had to bring his idiotic twin brothers with him too. So much for Draco's chance to just brood for the rest of time.

Walking through the door, which on it hung a restored copy painting of a large woman in a pink dress that the school had discovered hidden here years ago (Draco had found it rather amazing, considering that was a painting of his great grandmother), and was just about to yell up to the air for Ron to get down here when he already found the frustrated Angel playing a game of chasing-his-twin-brothers-around-the-room-trying-to-catch-the-clear-glass-oval-vials-the-twins-were-throwing-out-of-a-white-satchel.

"What are they?"

"Yeah come on Ron tell us"

"We're just going to drop more until you tell us!"

The twins were both laughing as they fazed in and out of objects and walls, Ron's face starting to match his hair in anger as he chased after them reaching out and catching every bottle they threw out.

"If you break any of these…" Ron growled dangerously, "GIVE THEM BACK!" he yelled at them, before catching Fred of guard and stretching out his right wing to the side making Fred smack straight into it, feathers flying everywhere, and the satchel he'd been holding flying out his arms and Ron catching it in mid air, a few of the vials falling out but luckily not breaking on the floor. Swooping down and picking them up quickly, Ron loomed over his brothers who stood there looking all too innocently up at him.

"You haven't kept any have you?" he asked suspiciously, the twins shaking their heads. "I mean it! If Hermione finds out you've got hold of any of these she'll demote me to a cherub!" he said, slightly worried as he held the satchel tightly to his chest.

"We haven't got any!" the twins chorused, still grinning up at him, "We don't even know they are!"

"What are you three doing?" Draco asked, Ron still staring down his two brothers with narrowed eyes.

"You better bloody not have." He said to them one last time, before spotting another vial on the floor and picking it up, putting it in the satchel and glancing over the contents, "I really should have counted these." He muttered to himself.

"Hey, don't ignore me!"

The three red heads looked over at Draco standing by the door, a group of girls walking through it and through him, Draco frowning in annoyance and moving out the way.

"Hey!" the twins chorused, "Give in and spy on Harry?"

Draco flushed in embarrassment, before straightening his shoulders and glaring at them, "No." he told them bluntly.

Because like hell he was going to tell them he tried.

"Well thank you so much for making me late now," Ron glared at his brothers, and was about to disappear back up when Draco grabbed his left wing and yanked him back down again.

"Hold it, I want to ask you something."

Ron growled annoyed at him, grabbing his wing and yanking it out of Draco's hand, more feathers flying everywhere before pushing his halo back up straight and floated there with his arms crossed, "What!" he demanded, "You're not the only soul I'm helping you know! I have things to do!"

Draco ignored him, "What is that scar on Harry's forehead about?"

Ron blinked at him, "What the Lightning Bolt Mark? That's the sign of the Reincarnation Division. It's a huge gold lightning bolt above the door. It's how they get souls back on Earth into physical bodies, they're sent down through lightning strikes."

"Yesterday he nearly collapsed by the Lake holding that scar, right where I died, and he keeps rubbing it, why?"

Ron's expression softened, almost looking worried, and he looked away briefly. Draco frowned.

"Look," Ron began, turning back to him, "the Rec Dev needs to keep a count on how many souls get reincarnated, so they mark every physical body that a soul enters with a lightning bolt mark. Most never get noticed, because most are usually inside the body, maybe a tiny mark under the skin or something, doesn't matter as long as it's somewhere, but others, like Harry's, are more obvious. They can't all be seen otherwise humans are going to start to pick up on the fact that there seem to be a lot of lighting bolt marks appearing everywhere."

"So, back to my question," Draco said flatly, "why was he rubbing it?"

Ron gritted his teeth and refrained from making a snarky comment, but soon returned to the slightly worried look on his face, "Because now he's back where he used to live, memories are starting to return from his previous life here. Every time something seems familiar his mark will ache." He said, coughing awkwardly and looking away again.

Draco tried to ignore the strange uneasiness emitting from his Guiding Angel, and just looked at him strangely softly, "Does that mean he will remember me?" he asked quietly. If that meant Harry would remember him, remember his name, remember that he loved him…Draco couldn't even imagine how happy he'd be.

Ron seemed to pause for a moment before answering, "Dunno." He finally said, "Reincarnates aren't supposed to remember their previous lives, and ones that do usually end up in a mental institute."

Draco's eye went wide at that, and Ron stared at him.

"What?" he asked at Draco's look, "If you started blabbing on about a previous life and freaking out every time you remember something then other humans tend to think you're a bit nuts and put you away, least that's what happened to poor Lavender Brown." Ron said, shaking his head in memory. "Look," he continued, getting slightly flustered, "Let's just say that as long as he doesn't freak everyone else out around him, his memories of this place could come back. He may very well get very vague memories of you but he won't be able to piece it together because he doesn't know who you are. Now stop asking me." He demanded, Fred and George glancing at each other curiously, but Draco too preoccupied with others thoughts to care about Ron's strange behaviour.

What Ron was saying couldn't be right. Harry did remember him, he dreamt about him, every night he dreams about him, that must mean something surely. "But he does remember me." Draco said quietly, "He dreams about me, and yesterday by the lake…" Draco frowned sadly, "He said this morning that he doesn't like the lake, the only reason that could be was because that's where I died, why else?"

Ron bit his lip and looked nervously around him, as if checking for someone listening in. He turned back to Draco, stared at him for a moment, then sighed, sitting cross-legged in mid air and leaning his elbow on his knee, thinking for a moment, "Alright, I wasn't going to tell you this…" he began, and suddenly Fred and George walked out next to Draco, their attention caught.

"Tell me what?" Draco asked slowly.

"Look, the reason it took me such a long time to find Harry's soul is because of the circumstances that the two of you died. Normally any reincarnate has been given a second chance at life because their first one was taken away from them early, killed, which is why Harry was reincarnated in the first place. When reincarnated they were supposed to live a full life and die of natural causes, returning to the Afterlife, but Harry's reincarnate over the years always seemed to get killed. Every time I'd find his soul it would be too late."

"Killed?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. If you're killed by another soul you're automatically reincarnated, so Harry has had a lot of lives here on Earth since his first death. Reincarnates are always re-born far from where they had their previous life, so as not to remember anything. Heck Harry's first re-birth he lived in Portugal. They're not supposed to go into familiar settings because they start to remember things, those that do as I said are usually considered crazy, but Harry kept on getting himself killed because he somehow knew that he needed to find this place. He knew he couldn't die of a natural cause because your soul was not in the Afterlife, your still here on Earth. He's been dreaming about you in his other lives too, I've seen him, and that's not something that's supposed to happen. Memories are only supposed to return if the soul goes back into a familiar setting, dreaming about it when far away hasn't happened before. Reincarnates are a new life, the lightning bolt mark is supposed to keep the old memories locked inside, but somehow Harry knows that your soul is still on Earth, he keeps being re-born until he's found you."

Draco stared at Ron. So that's why it had taken him so long to find Harry, it wasn't his fault at all, it was Harry himself. Getting himself killed every time just so he could come back and find Draco again, even if he didn't realise it. Fred and George glanced at each other again before looking at Draco, who unbeknown to him, had tears in his eyes. "So that means…" he began.

"That means," Ron answered for him, "that throughout all his lives on Earth he remembers his feelings for you. Every time he's re-born he's closer to Hogwarts because this is where he was the happiest, with you."

Draco felt his heart beating strangely slow in his chest, and he smiled, a joy washing over him knowing what Ron was saying.

"Whether he realises it or not," Ron continued, "he remembers he loves you."

To Be Continued…

**AN**: Warned you my overly romantic side would pop in XD. I know you're probably all screaming "Why did you stop it there! We want the sex!". Well tough ;) The first sex scene in this story is not to be here, it is to be later. It's all planned my friends, there shall be more!

**AAN**: For notes to the chapter follow the usual link at the bottom of my profile, quite a few notes there this time.

**AAAN**: Oh yeah, and I'd like to point out (because there is bound to be _someone_ to mention it), I do not actually believe in any religion. I just think the idea of Angels are cool, so please don't badger me about getting information wrong or horrified at the thought of demons and angels working together etc etc etc. It is a fanfic. It is an AU fanfic. _It's just a story._ Sorry I had to say that, but there really is going to be someone and I could do without it.


	6. Chapter 5: One Minute

**Chapter 5: One Minute**

"Hang on a minute," Fred said, tapping his chin in thought, "There's something I still don't understand."

"Look can't you ask me this later?" Ron asked, exasperated with this bombardment of questions, throwing the satchel back over his shoulder, the vials clinking together.

"No!" the twins exclaimed together, ignoring their brothers glare, before Fred continued. "You say that reincarnates aren't supposed to come back into familiar settings right? Well how come you've been looking for Harry to do exactly that, bring him back here?"

"Because that's why Draco's here, that's his unfinished business." Ron replied. Draco, who had been standing there with a smile on his lips and a far away look in his eyes knowing that Harry, in one way or another, remembered he loves him, looked up at hearing his name. "Every single wandering spirit on earth is here for a reason. Once that reason has been found or completed, or whatever, the soul returns to Limbo. Even though Harry isn't supposed to go into familiar settings, because Draco's reason for being here was, and I quote, "To meet Harry again", he _has_ to come back here. Any consequences on what happens to Harry for being here is just going to have to happen." Ron sighed as his halo fell over his eyes, reaching up and straightening it again, "Now, finished?" he asked, looking at the three spirits in front of him, "Can I _go_ now?"

"No." Draco said, and Ron groaned.

Draco stood there for a moment in thought at Ron's words. It was true that the reason he was here was to meet Harry again. He'd been waiting over 900 years, but now Harry was here, now he had seen him again…what happened now? Draco didn't want to go back to Limbo, he wanted to stay with Harry, he wanted to see if he would remember him fully.

Draco looked back up at Ron, a worried look on his face, but he got as far as opening his mouth before Ron put his hand up to quiet him.

"Alright, wait a minute." Ron said, taking the satchel back off his shoulder, "I'm obviously going to be here for a while, so… COLIN!"

Immediately in puff of white smoke, another angel appeared next to Ron, only this time did not have magnificent white wings double the size of his body like Ron's, but small stubby ones, only about a foot long, that fluttered insanely to keep in the air. Colin Creevy was a cherub, one of many messengers between worlds, called around by various angels who needed help with their work.

"Yes?" he asked obediently.

"Do me a favour," Ron said, handing the satchel to him, "Take these to Hannah Abbot, tell her to take _one_ sip of a vial. _One_ sip, no more, got that? She should be wandering around Leicester Square somewhere."

"Mm hmm." Colin nodded enthusiastically.

"Watch her and make sure, these idiots are keeping me back and she's been waiting for me for the past 20 minutes."

"Okay." Colin smiled, and as quickly as he came, disappeared in another puff of smoke.

Ruffling his wings, another few feathers floating to the floor, Ron turned back to Draco, who in turn was glaring at him for being interrupted.

"Ok, what?" Ron demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Draco sighed in aggravation, biting back any remarks, and began again, "Harry's here now, so, what happens to me?"

"Dunno." Ron said honestly. "When the time comes for a soul to return to Limbo I usually get an order from Hermione or Zabini to bring 'em back, so I guess I have to wait for the order."

Draco continued to look at him for a moment, before looking away at the floor, his heart sinking. Was this all he was going to get? 900 years in waiting for a few months with an unknowing Harry? That wasn't fair. In fact, that was down right cruel.

"What if I refuse to leave?" Draco asked quietly, peering up at him.

"You don't have a choice." Ron said, "Once the orders been given your soul automatically returns. I guess Hermione's been too busy to give the order yet, I mean there are a lot of souls she and Zabini have to deal with after all."

Draco looked at the floor again, the happiness he had felt a moment ago fading away. He didn't want to leave. Why would he want to go to Limbo without Harry? He refused to be judged before without him, that's why he was here after all. He didn't want to go; he didn't want to leave Harry behind. It wasn't fair, he wanted to stay, he didn't want to leave without him.

"Hey now there's a point." George said, interrupting the sudden solemn atmosphere, "How come we haven't got a Guiding Angel?" he asked, jabbing his thumb towards his twin and himself.

"You have," Ron said, "_I_ am."

The twins blinked in unison, "You are?"

"Yeah, didn't you ever wonder why you could see me?" Ron asked, "Spirits can only see their own Guiding Angels. Although it seems the only reason you're here is to play practical jokes on humans. You don't have any unfinished business, you're just being bloody annoying!"

"So when do we go back to Limbo?" Fred asked.

"I haven't the faintest idea, maybe when you do the biggest joke of all, who knows, or maybe when you do something nice for someone else for a change instead of teasing them." He glared at them, "Not that you two seem to be complaining," he added at the grins on his brothers faces, "You have got to be the only wandering spirits I know who don't actually want to go to Heaven."

"Nah, who wants to go to Heaven?" George grinned.

"Can't get away with jokes up there, much more fun down here." Fred grinned too, Ron rolling his eyes.

"Ok, fine, everyone happy?" he asked, eyeing his three unhelpful souls in front of him, before glaring back at Draco, "Am I allowed to go back to work now Your oh Royal Highness?" Ron said sarcastically, but immediately was taken aback at the look on Draco's face.

Without a word Draco turned around and walked through the wall away from them, the grins on Fred and Georges face's disappearing as they glanced uneasily at Ron. Since their time on Earth with Draco they'd seen many faces on the young Prince. Although usually angry at them, they'd seen him bored, seen a look of mild amusement at something the students around them may have been doing, and of course recently seen that look of love when looking at Harry.

But this had been the first time, in over 900 years, that they'd ever seen him cry.

* * *

Harry had never figured out why. He never knew why he felt it, why it felt like he was doing something wrong, but he felt it every time. Throughout his whole life, whenever he found himself attracted to someone, or someone had an interest in him, they'd do the usual date thing, but as soon as it came to a kiss, that would be it, he couldn't do any more.

He felt like he was doing something wrong, felt like he shouldn't be going out with this person, felt like…like he was cheating on someone else. But that was ridiculous. Cheating? On who? He'd never been with anyone. Seamus had constantly told him he was just far too fussy when it came to the date scene, for it seemed no matter what the person looked like or how they acted, Harry was never happy. They'd get to the kissing stage, but as soon as that had passed, Harry just couldn't bring himself to go further in the relationship. It felt wrong, and he'd tell the person in question that dreaded phrase of "Let's just be friends".

Seamus seemed to have taken it upon himself to set Harry up on dates. At first it had been with girls, but as soon as Harry had told him it was guys he liked a few months ago, Seamus had now continually pointed out various guys in the school going, "Oo hey he's nice." and, "He was looking at you in class, go for it!" Harry had of course ignored him, because as soon as he came to Hogwarts, he had felt even _more_ like he shouldn't be dating. All he knew was that he liked guys over girls, but when it came to specifics, nothing ever felt right.

Seamus had even gone as far as putting Harry's details up on a dating website. Harry had wondered why all of a sudden he was getting loads of emails from people asking about him, and when he'd found out it was because of Seamus he'd nearly killed his best friend for doing so, despite Seamus pointing out that Harry was obviously a "good one for the market" because he was getting a lot of responses. After polity declining all the emails he was getting, Harry figured that one particular pushy email that had taken a lot of declining for the guy to get the point, might be from a guy in the school, someone called Zach Smith. The reason he thought so was because after replying for the 7th time that he wasn't interested, found the next day the blond boy glaring at him for no apparent reason, following him around and then pushing past him with an annoyed stride. Seamus had found this immensely amusing, and had continued to tease Harry that he had a stalker after his hot virgin body for the next week and a half.

Ignoring his best friends teasing, Harry had never told him but he had always been kind of jealous of the relationship Seamus and Dean had. They were constantly happy around one another, not caring who knew about them, flirting at every possible moment, and as Harry had discovered since moving to Hogwarts and having Seamus's room next to his, rather loud in the whole bedroom area.

Let's just say Harry had been very glad Seamus's parents had bought him an iPod for Christmas.

It was the kind of relationship, all open and not caring about the world, that for some reason Harry felt like he'd missed out on. What the hell that meant Harry hadn't a clue; he'd never been in a relationship, so how could he have missed out of being open and uncaring to the world about it? Harry had grown used to these odd feelings throughout his life, and got used to putting them to the back of his mind and ignoring them.

The only person of course that he _was_ attracted to, was the Prince in his dreams.

And a fat lot of good that was doing him.

In a way he could see why Seamus was so desperate to try and find someone for Harry to go out with. Having only ever truly been attracted to a dream was…worrying, to say the least, so he couldn't blame his best friend for trying. Harry worried too sometimes, but he was happy as he was, he didn't need anyone at the moment, so surely there was nothing wrong with enjoying a dream right? After all that's all it was, just a dream.

He hadn't told Seamus though that he was now having this dream every night since he got to Hogwarts, nor had he told him that his scar had been aching every now and then too. The incident by the lake had been the worst so far. There was something about that lake, something…familiar, but not in a nice way. He really didn't like the feeling that lake gave him, so had decided to just stay away from it for now.

His scar had continued to throb gently while he, Seamus and Dean had bought their costumes down in Hogsmeade, but now heading back to their rooms to drop them off before going down to lunch, Harry couldn't stop grinning at Seamus.

"I can't believe you're going in drag." He smirked, carrying the red and white stripped plastic bag with his own costume in at his side.

Seamus just grinned at him, "I don't know what you're talking about, all three of us have perfect costumes: King," he said, wrapping an arm around Deans, "Queen." He said, pointing at himself, before turning and patting Harry on the head affectionately, "Slave Boy."

Harry glared at him playfully with a raised eyebrow, "You wish." He said, his two friends laughing at him.

In a few days time it would be New Years Eve, where every year Hogwarts held a fancy dress party for the students, themed, of course, as medieval. Students and their guests, if they wished to bring any, would arrive in elaborate costumes from the olden times, Kings, Queens, maids, stable boys, you name it, there'd be someone wearing it. The costume shop in Hogsmeade did a roaring trade this time of year, and always opened for a few days in between Christmas and New Years especially for the students who had left their costumes to the last minute, students like Harry, Seamus and Dean.

Despite planning on choosing their own costumes, Seamus had ended up being the one to choose all of them, for when they got to Hogsmeade Dean's car had decided to slowly roll off down a slight hill in the snow, leaving Dean and Harry to leg after it and try to stop it while Seamus disappeared looking rather sneakily into the shop.

As they chased after the car Harry had yelled at Dean once again on how much a death trap his car was, and Dean doing nothing but whole heartedly agreeing with him. By the time they'd stopped it, Harry jumping in front of it and pushing hard while Dean leapt into the front seat to try and get the brakes on, Seamus had already bought their costumes, and Dean was now currently very glad Seamus hadn't decided to put him in a dress, and was, however, secretly very excited to see Seamus in it instead.

"My costumes boring though." Harry whined as they entered through to the common room.

"Well we did leave it to the last minute," Dean said as they headed up the stairs, "We were lucky to find any at al-… Harry?"

Dean and Seamus turned back to see Harry staring at the wall they'd just passed, before looking down at the floor in thought. He stared at a stone step, a strange nagging feeling at the back of his mind about the shower he took earlier.

"Harry?" Seamus asked, and Harry shook his head slightly and looked back at them.

"Sorry," he said, and walked up to them as they continued their way up to their rooms, "D'ya know I had the weirdest feeling I was being watched when I had my shower earlier." He said, grabbing the handle to his room.

Dean however just seemed to wave that off, "Get that all the time," he said, opening his door opposite Harry's, "It's usually Seamus."

* * *

Draco sat on his wooden chair in Harry's old bedroom beneath the castle, his latest journal open on the desk in front of him, with the one ever burning candle casting shadows around the cob web covered room. His head was cradled in his arms on the desk, staring at the candle, watching it flicker and the wax dripping down the side. Forever that wax had melted, forever it had dripped, but never did the candle get any smaller. He watched momentarily memorised by the electric blue base of the flame, filtering up to the sunlight yellow that danced softly in the dark air, and didn't bother to wipe away the tear that fell from his cheek onto his arm.

He'd never really thought about what would happen once he found Harry again. For all these years all that had been on his mind was to see Harry, to find him, but now he was here, he didn't know what was going to happen. He'd never thought about what would happen afterwards. Any day now Ron could come back saying Hermione had given the order and Draco had to return, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to go, not now he'd found Harry. He wanted to stay, to follow him wherever he went, to see that smile on his face in the mornings after he'd dreamt of him.

Why did everything go wrong? Even in death Draco couldn't be with him. Two and a half years he had with Harry alive, then what? 906 years alone to see him for a few months before he'd be taken away from him again? It wasn't fair, none of it was fair. He loved him so much he even waited for nearly a thousand years to see him, didn't that mean anything? They couldn't take him away from him, not again, they wouldn't let them!

He didn't know how mind you, but he wouldn't let them anyway.

After Ron's explanation Draco had returned to his journals to write everything his Guiding Angel had just told him. He'd always found it soothing to write down his thoughts, get everything off his mind, but this time, all it did was make him depressed. How long would he have here with Harry? Weeks? Days? _Hours_? Draco raised his head from his arms and wiped away at the tears, glaring at himself for being so emotional.

He wouldn't let this get to him, he couldn't be upset. He didn't want to spend what time he had left with Harry moping about the lack of time he had left with him. He was just going to continue what he had been doing, to follow him, watch him, just let his presence bring back all the wonderful memories he had with him when he was alive.

Pushing the chair back across the cold stone floor, Draco closed his journal and shot up again through the ceiling, deciding this time not to walk back to the common room as he didn't know how much time he had left, and decided to just continue heading upwards through the ceilings and walls until he found Harry again. He guessed he'd be back from Hogsmeade now, so would try his room first to see if he was there.

Suddenly though, as he was passing through a corridor on the 5th floor, he heard two girls _screaming_ and come bursting out of a classroom door running as fast as they could down the corridor, one of them shouting very distinctively, "A GHOST! A GHOST!"

Frowning in curiosity, Draco poked his head round the corner of the room to find Fred and George, George staring at his brother with the most humongous grin on his face, and Fred doing somersaults in the air with an uncontrollable laughter.

"What's going on?" Draco asked, but as soon as the twins heard him immediately stood still next to each other, their grins stilled and trying to look as innocent as they could be.

"Nothing." They replied in unison, their hands behind their backs, bouncing on the balls of their feet.

Draco glared at them suspiciously, opened his mouth to ask how exactly this girl was screaming ghost when humans couldn't see them, when he shut his mouth again knowing full well that whatever the reason was, the twins were going to lie anyway, so sighed and turned away, heading back up to find Harry. He was too depressed to worry about his Guiding Angel's idiotic relatives, even too depressed to turn around in curiosity and ask what their sudden whispers of, "Should we give it to him?" whispered strangely solemnly meant.

Within the next few days, Draco watched as the school seemed to the go back in time to his day and age, the decorations for the New Years Fancy Dress Ball bringing the castle back to the history that was kept in its walls. Suits of armor and paintings were taken from the store rooms and placed in the Great Hall, long dark wooden tables were placed around the edges, white drapes fell from the rafters with the ends attached to the walls, and they'd even gone as far replacing the double glazed windows with stained glass windows. Draco felt the very annoying urge to tell someone that stained glass windows, although to them an old tradition, were not around in his day, and they should just take the windows they had there out and leave them. They didn't have windows in his day, just holes in the walls.

Honestly, they called themselves a history school.

The Medieval Ball was something the school had taken as a tradition for the past 30 years, so Draco was quite used to seeing this transformation of his old Royal Court. Despite the odd historical mistake, they always did a rather good job, the only thing really different being the lack of thrones at the back facing towards the large oak doors, the item in their place being a huge silver Christmas tree towering above everything.

Harry seemed to have volunteered to help with most of the festivities, so Draco had spent most of his time in the Great Hall with him, watching as the twins caused trouble for anyone carrying anything that looked vaguely expensive, by discreetly moving boxes in front of them to trip up over.

But unlike the twins and the students around them, Draco didn't have a single happy feeling inside him.

No matter how many times he told himself to stop being depressed and to just enjoy his moments with Harry, he couldn't get rid of the horrible feeling that Ron might appear at any moment telling him it was time to go. He wanted to be happy, he wanted to just smile at Harry, but looking at him now just made him want to cry. He managed not to but he still couldn't manage a smile. He just watched Harry distantly, the sounds of happy students and whoever had put the cheesy Christmas music on in the hall not making any difference to his mood. He wanted to shout out to the world to shut up, to stop being so happy! They weren't allowed to be happy if he wasn't happy, it wasn't fair! The twins had tried to talk to him to cheer him up, but had given up now, for all they got were sharp snappy comments and a glare that looked like it could have killed them, if they weren't dead already.

They would watch their once Prince as he sat by Harry during meals, the longing look in his stormy grey eyes to hold him, a strange pang of sadness spiting their usually mischievous hearts as they'd watch him reach out to him, only to have his fingers pass through his shoulder, or his cheek as he closed his eyes and tried to imagine the warmth he remembered from them.

They'd glance at each other, and Fred would put his fingers in his pocket, grasping at something there as he'd bite his lip, looking at George for an answer to the unsaid question between them. George would shrug, whisper something about Ron probably sending them straight to hell if they did what they were thinking of doing, and Fred would take his hand out his pocket again, the two of them returning to watching Draco as he'd follow Harry around aimlessly, the once look of adoration on his face replaced by a lingering sadness that was starting to affect the twins too.

* * *

Hedwig sat on the window ledge outside, the moonlight shining down on her white feathers as she peered into the bedroom of her once rescuer, cocking her head to one side and hooting softly at the blond haired one sitting at the edge of the bed, watching with lonely eyes as Harry slept.

Draco had been sitting there for 5 hours now, doing nothing but what he usually did, just watching the gentle breathing of the one he loved as he slept tucked up nice and warm under the duvet covers. He tried to remember what that felt like, all those years ago, as he'd be tucked up under those covers too, Harry's arms wrapped lovingly around him. He tried to remember Harry's touch, tried to remember the warmth from his body as they held each other closely, but it was becoming so difficult now.

It had been so long since he had felt anything. Even though he could touch objects, he couldn't feel them. He could feel their weight, but not if the surface was rough or smooth, not if it was cold or warm. It was so long since he'd physically felt anything, he was beginning to forget. He couldn't really remember what warmth felt like anymore, only the memory that he loved Harry's.

The memory of that warmth was something that had comforted him greatly when he first returned to Earth as a spirit. He would close his eyes and remember as Harry would hold him, body against body, his warm breath on his cheek before they kissed, and the warmth he felt from him as the icy cold wind whipped around them outside when standing under the willow tree in the snow. All the small little things that made him smile, but now, those memories were fading, and as he sat at the edge of Harry's bed, he found he couldn't remember what Harry felt like anymore. He couldn't remember his touch, couldn't remember his warmth, he could only remember that he loved them when he was alive, and now that he was dead, missed them terribly.

He watched as Harry turned gently in his sleep, rolling over on his back, one arm spread out beside him. Draco watched those parted lips, and found himself licking his own bottom lip. He desperately wanted to kiss him, but no matter how much he wanted to, he never could.

Never again.

He hated this, it was driving him nuts. All he wanted to do was hold him, that wasn't much was it? Wasn't there some force in the afterlife that could allow him to be with him? Even just for a day? An hour? Heck a minute would be enough, he just wanted to feel all those things he'd missed, wanted to hold the one person he was waiting on Earth for.

Draco reached forward slowly, pausing above Harry's lips, before gently brushing his fingers over them. He felt nothing. No heat. No softness. He watched as the tips disappeared through those lips he'd once kissed so often, and Draco found tears gathering in his eyes.

One touch. Just one. It was all he was asking. He was so close, so near, but now matter how much he desperately wanted it; he could never touch him again. He hated watching his fingers disappear through the person he wanted to hold. He hated it, and he hated Sirius. This whole thing was his fault, if it wasn't for him, they both could have been together in Heaven. He hated him. He hated him so much.

He'd torn them apart.

"Draco?"

Draco didn't turn when he heard the twins say his name softly, not really caring why they sounded so sad.

"Go away." Draco said quietly, his voice hitching slightly as his throat constricted with oncoming tears. He tried to brush at the strands of hair falling on Harry face, but once again his fingers passed straight though, and those tears began to swell in his eyes. Why did his existence have to be so cruel? Nothing had ever gone right when he was alive. Harry was the only good thing that had happened, so why did they have to be apart? Why? _Why_ couldn't they be together?

"It's not fair." Draco whispered, Fred and George standing side by side watching forlornly. "Haven't I waited long enough? Isn't there a way…just, just one way I can hold him?" His eyes glistened, the tears threatening to fall. "I'd do anything….even just for one minute….I love him so much…I just…" Draco found his vision blurred by his tears, and he raised one hand, biting his bottom lip as he placed his hand over his eyes, "I just want to be with him…"

Fred and George had never heard him talk so openly about his feelings for Harry. Sure they knew he loved him, when they'd arrived here they'd asked him why he was still here on Earth, and his reply had been quite simply, "Waiting for Harry. The only one I love."

It had been a shock to them at the time; they'd never known their Prince was in love with a guy! They'd seen Harry and his family a few times at the servant meals as they served them the food the cooks gave them. The twins had been simple kitchen boys at the time, getting the mundane jobs like peeling potatoes and plucking chickens, letting the cooks work their magic before giving it to them to serve to the other servants. They'd never guessed that the brunette with the scruffy hair and the brilliant green eyes was having an affair with the Prince himself! It had been a very well kept secret.

They'd found it amazing that Draco even had the capability of loving anyone, always scowling and ordering them about, and found it difficult to believe that he loved someone enough to wait for them on Earth again. But as the years went by, Draco's determination and belief that he would see Harry again never faltering, they had, in their own way that they never showed as they were being too busy teasing him about it, was that the twins had grown to respect their Prince even more than in life. Draco was obviously fiercely loyal to Harry, and apart from having found out Harry had been murdered by Draco's bodyguard, the twins had never asked anything about them.

Now Harry's reincarnation had returned to Hogwarts though, the happy loving side they'd suddenly seen on their Prince suddenly all made sense as to why Harry had fallen for him. Watching him follow Harry around like a love struck puppy had made them laugh affectionately at him, taking useful notes for bribing purposes later of course, finally seeing the side to their Prince that they had found so hard to believe was possible before.

Which was why they didn't like what was happening now, watching as the tears fell one by one down Draco's cheeks as he leant over Harry, the emotional pain evident on his face as kissed the sleeping boy, his lips brushing through his own, watching the heartbreak as Draco screwed his eyes tightly shut, trying to shut out the pain of feeling absolutely _nothing_.

"Draco." Fred said quietly again, Draco finally pulling away from Harry and wiping at his eyes.

"What?" Draco snapped quietly, trying to regain his composure.

Fred looked at George, George shrugging in apparent defeat, and nodded his head. Turning back to Draco, Fred took a step forward, "You say you'd do anything to be with him again right? Even for just a minute?"

Draco nodded, slouched forward, staring lifelessly at the floor.

The twins looked at each other again, and Fred put his hand in his pocket and brought out a small object. "Well…I think we can help with the minute."

Draco sniffed, wiping away slowly at his tears, before he stopped, staring at the floor for a moment longer, before slowly looking back up at them, the realisation of what Fred had just said making it through his disheartened mind.

"What?" he asked softly.

Fred held up the object he was holding, and Draco saw it was one of the vials Ron had been carrying earlier in that white satchel.

"Despite what we said to Ron, we _did_ nick one of these 'cause we wanted to know what they were." George enlightened him seeing the quizzical expression on Draco's face.

"We found a label on the bottom," Fred continued for him, "Part of it was torn off, but we could read the first few lines."

"What is it?" Draco asked, sitting up straight, eyes sparkling not with tears this time, but with a rush of hopefulness that had just spread through him.

"Well…" George said slowly, "You know earlier you saw us laughing when two girls were running away screaming?"

"Yes, what?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Well, according to the label, take one sip of this stuff, and any wandering spirit will be able to be seen by humans for just a few seconds, which is what Fred was doing."

"Yeah," Fred grinned, "Appeared and disappeared in front of those two girls, man that was so funny, you should have seen the looks on their faces!"

As the twins chuckled at the memory, Draco scowled them. He didn't find that in the slightest bit helpful, and the rush of hopefulness disappeared as quickly as it came. What good would it do for Harry to see him for a few seconds? Probably scare him away that's what.

"And how exactly is that supposed to help me?" Draco inquired; now just plain annoyed that the twins had made him think for one small moment it was possible to be with Harry.

"Well, this is what the second line on the label says." Fred said, and turned the vial upside down to read, "'Take two sips and any wandering spirit will have a physical touch and appearance to any living human soul for exactly one minute.'" He read aloud, before turning to George and smiling warmly, George returning his smile as they both smiled at Draco, who seemed to have frozen with wide eyes where he was sitting, and held out the vial to him.

"We're giving it to you." George said, "I think you need it more than we do."

Draco couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Fred and George were offering him the one thing he'd been wanting since Harry had got here. For one minute, just that one minute, he'd be able to touch him, able to feel that warmth that he'd forgotten.

"Are you…" Draco started breathlessly, "Are you sure?" he asked, looking from the vial to the twins and back again, thinking that if he took his eyes away from it the vial might disappear, along with his one chance to hold Harry again.

"We're sure." They said in union, grinning at him. "We kind of spilt a bit, but there's just enough for two sips." Fred said, and he walked over to Draco and placed the small bottle in his hands.

Draco lifted it in front of his face, holding it carefully in his hands, watching on closer inspection several small white lights zooming around in the clear liquid at the bottom of the vial. Draco couldn't take his eyes away from it. He held in his hands his one chance at being able to touch Harry. Would it really work? Is drinking what was left in this bottle all he had to do?

Draco felt his mouth go dry in anticipation. What would he do in that one minute? He'd just grab him, kiss him senseless, touch every piece of skin he could get his hands on. He could feel his eyes darken with these thoughts and a small smirking smile play on his lips, his heart rate quickening. To feel his mouth again…that hot tongue that used to drive him wild in so many other places on his body too…

"But look, don't go just drinking it now, you'd probably scare the hell outta him by just appearing and pouncing on him." Fred winked at him, and Draco's lustful thoughts suddenly dissolved as that reality hit him.

He stared at the lights in the vial again, eyes wide as he imagined appearing in front of Harry, Harry's terrified look at seeing a body appear out of thin air in front of him, and unable to do anything but watch as he ran away.

Draco glared up at the twins, "Well what exactly do you expect me to do with this then?" he snapped at them, his hopefulness once again being snatched away from him.

"Oh don't worry," George said with a twinkle in his eye, "When the clock strikes twelve tomorrow night for the New Year, our plan will be in action."

"And _you_ my friend, will be kissing Harry." Fred added with another wink.

Draco stared at them; identical smirks on their identical faces, and he frowned worryingly, raising one eyebrow in disbelief. Was a plan from the Weasley twins such a great idea? What on Earth could they be planning to do, and why at midnight? As Draco pondered what they could have in mind, there was one part of him that wasn't joining in on those thoughts, because even though he hadn't realised it, Draco's cheeks were tinted with the purest pink, and his heart was fluttering rapidly in his chest, knowing that by this time tomorrow, he would have felt Harry's warmth that he'd missed so much.

Draco smiled, and behind him, Harry smiled in his sleep, kissing his dream Prince once again.

To Be Continued…

**AN:** Well my friends, I hate to say it but I won't be updating this until some when in May. I'm off on holiday to Japan so won't be able to write it. Very sorry! I can assure you though that the next chapter will be worth the wait! Leave me some reviews to come home to won't you? XD

Notes for this chapter in the usual place, link at the bottom of my profile.


	7. Chapter 6: Midnight Kiss

**Chapter 6: Midnight Kiss**

_18th April 1098. _

Narcissa looked at her son dubiously, "Tell me, Draco, why is it every time you have a new outfit made for the parties I throw for you, you always have to be measured again? You will still be the same size every time."

Draco stood behind a wooden screen by the wall in his bedroom, unseen by his mother who stood by his desk with her arms folded, watching as Harry gathered a few different bits of clothing off the bed and headed around the screen to give them to Draco to change in to.

"I've told you mother," came Draco's reply, as a smirking Harry dropped the clothes he held to the floor and grabbed Draco behind the screen and latched his mouth to his neck, licking and sucking gently as Draco tried to sound like he wasn't grinning inanely, "You can never be sure if I may have grown, so it's always best to make sure everything is perfect." He sighed quietly as Harry kissed along his jawbone, "B-besides," he stuttered briefly, holding on to Harry's shoulders, "I need to make sure I look my best for those possible brides-to-be don't I?"

He knew that would work, and heard his mother grumble an agreement, "Yes, I suppose so. Well as long as you know what you're doing I shall head back to your father." She said, heading towards the door, "Oh and Draco," she added, turning around, "I want you to visit your father today. He's been asking for you, wants to know if you've chosen a bride yet. I do not want to be the one to tell him again that you haven't." she said sternly, and walked through the large oak door closing it behind her.

Draco however didn't hear a word of what she said, he was too busy running his hands underneath Harry's shirt and melting into his embrace as he pulled at the cords on his tunic.

----

It had been eight months since Draco and Harry had kissed, eight months since they'd had their first night together, and not once had they looked back. Draco had never felt so sneaky, slinking around the castle to meet Harry in shadowy places, but he'd never felt so alive and happy! Their love was the biggest secret the country held, but it was worth every heart stopping moment when someone walked past the door to the room they were currently naked and panting together in.

In the end, on one occasion where his _father_ the King himself had nearly walked in on them, Draco shoving Harry away through a door and rearranging his clothes quickly as the long blond haired king stepped into the room, Draco had ordered Sirius to build a secret passage way between his bedroom and Harry's. He'd ordered him to tell anyone, namely his parents, who asked what was going on, that they were reinforcing the walls of the castle, when really had a team tunneling away through the thick 6 foot walls to build a stair case down to the servant quarters, then along a short corridor coming out behind a statue in Harry's bedroom. The workers who did the tunneling and construction didn't need to ask what they were doing, just as long as it was done quickly with no questions asked.

Heck, they were working for the Prince with a healthy large sum of money as pay; they didn't care what they were doing!

Draco had bought Harry the statue specifically to hide the entrance to the passageway, telling his parents, when they asked, that it was simply a thank you for all the good craftsmanship Harry had done on his clothes. They had accepted this answer, although made a point that the royal family does not dote on servants no matter how good their work may have been. The entrance in Draco's room was in the flume to the fireplace, just enough not to be seen in the dark, yet if the fire was lit just enough room to one side to go through.

The passage way had been completed three months ago, so as soon as Draco would enter his room at night, everyone thinking he was now off to sleep, he'd sneak down the hidden stairs and enter Harry's bedroom, Harry waiting for him with a grin and a kiss that lasted most of the night, along with a lot of touches and caresses that sent Draco to heaven and back. As Harry worked on servants hours, having to get up early in the morning, Draco would always make his way back to his room before anyone noticed he was missing.

After a while (well, 4 days), they'd finally figured out what you actually did when having sex consisted of two men and not a man and a woman, and by God did Draco love it! Well, at the time Draco had to admit it hurt, and both were worried if what they were doing could really be done, but when Harry moved at that certain angle and hit something inside Draco that made him buck his hips and send a spasm of pleasure coursing through his body, he knew what they were doing was _definitely_ right.

Harry was a wonderful lover, and quite cheeky at times too. He seemed to be obsessed with Draco's neck, always latching on to it when they made love before anything else, working his way to his lips. The feel of Harry's soft lips on his neck always made Draco shiver with pleasure. Anywhere Harry touched him made him shiver with pleasure. Harry was everything to him, just the thought of those greens eyes and heartwarming smile always made Draco's eyes glaze over and stare at nothing in particular during the day, getting more and more peculiar looks from servants who happened to be walking by as Draco narrowly missed walking into a wall.

He was completely love stuck, he knew he was, and so was Harry.

When he got fed up of ordering Sirius around to find Harry and give him a message to meet him somewhere, Draco wanting to see Harry himself during the day, he'd given the excuse to his parents that he was going to study the ways of the servants, how they operated, and in giving him more insight to how the common world worked in order to control it more when he became King.

This had impressed his parents greatly, especially his father, who had now been bed-ridden with his strange illness for the past few weeks, was happy that his son had finally taken an interest in the job he was born with.

That's what he told them anyway, when really of course he'd casually walk into the Potter's workroom, finding Harry, his father and sister, all working hard, and would watch them. James and Holly had been very nervous at first, but after the Prince had come down quite a few times, it seemed to drive them to work even harder in his presence, and always greeted him with a smile when he walked in the room. Draco only had eyes for Harry though, and knew he was making him nervous that he might do something or say something by accident in front of his family.

He'd move behind Harry sometimes, who'd be leaning over one of the long wooden tables, saying he wanted to study closely how his personal tailor worked, when in fact would have one hand on his arse, Harry desperately trying not to blush so obviously and to steady his hands while working, his father and sister only a few feet away from him. Draco could never hide his smirk as he watched Harry try to work as if Draco wasn't trailing a hand at the base of his spine under his shirt, and always loved it when they'd meet again that night to be together, because Draco knew he'd been a naughty boy, and Harry would make sure he'd "punish" him thoroughly for it, several times if the occasion called for it.

And the occasion called for it rather a lot.

Sometimes Harry would come up through the secret passageway to Draco's room for a change, and sometimes they were both so eager they found themselves meeting each other halfway, laughing and kissing in the darkness with just the odd flickering light from the flaming torches that aligned the walls dancing across their faces.

It had been the happiest eight months of Draco's life, to find someone to love, someone who treated him like a normal human being and not the just the heir to throne of England. Someone who made him cry out into the night, someone who held him so closely, someone who made him want to shout out to world, "I LOVE HIM!". Draco knew he couldn't shout that out to the world, but as long as Harry heard it, that was all they needed. Whispered words during the night, filling a once empty heart, seemingly endless kisses and touches, loving words and a gaze that made every cell in Draco's body melt at the sight.

Harry was the one. He was going to spend the rest of his life with him. They could keep this up, these secret meetings, it was fine. It was wonderful, he'd do anything for him, he loved him with all his heart. Nothing could ever take them apart, nothing could ever go wrong.

"Draco, your father and I would like a word with you."

It was later on that day, after Draco had playfully shoved Harry out the door after his "fitting", hair ruffled and lips rosy, that Draco found himself being cornered by his mother down a corridor, a stern look in her eyes.

"And what word might that be?" he inquired.

"We are going to your father's bed chamber. Now."

With that she turned on her heal, her long robes trailing behind her as Draco followed her, aware of the strange aura emitting from his mother, like he was about to get told off for something rather serious. He couldn't think what though; maybe she'd just got fed up of waiting for Draco to go see his father so had come to get him instead.

A while later they arrived at his fathers chambers, entering through the heavy doors. As it had been for a while now, Draco found his father lying on his white bed sheets, the white covers tucked around him as he sat up slightly in his large four-poster bed, seeing his wife and son walking through his doors. Deep greens drapes were tied back on the poles on the bedposts, and the air was still and slightly muggy.

Lucious was not the proud and domineering King that he once was, now this illness had affected him. He looked even paler then usual, his hair lifeless framing his face, and did not emanate the power he once did.

As horrible as it may sound, Draco didn't really have any feelings over his father's condition. He'd barely seen his parents as a child, only ever appearing to make sure the nannies and servants who were looking after him and teaching him were doing a good job. He could probably have easily counted the amount of words that had passed between them in his lifetime if they were laid out in front of him, so didn't feel particularly sad to see his father like this. He didn't feel happy of course, but not sad either. He didn't really feel anything.

"Draco, my son," Lucious said, his voice husky, "Your mother tells me something rather…interesting."

"Oh yes?" Draco asked, arms crossed studying him carefully. His father never asked to see him, so this was a rather strange occurrence.

"She tells me," there was a pause as he coughed, a raspy cough that sounded rather painful, "tells me that there is a hidden reason as to why you go down to the servant quarters so often, a reason that you have not told us."

Draco could literally feel his blood chill in his veins. His eyes went wide, his heart rate quickening, and he could feel a cold sweat on his forehead. There was no way, no way, that they could know about him and Harry. Right? There was no way they could know, it…it wasn't possible. Draco swallowed audibly.

"It has become very obvious why you go down there so often." His mother began when Draco didn't say anything, "I had someone follow you, and it seems you spend a lot of time watching the Potter's work."

Draco's breath caught in his throat, his breathing becoming erratic as he tried to calm his nerves. _No, no they couldn't know,_ he kept on telling himself, over and over again, unable to look away from his fathers calculating gaze.

"We know why you go to see them Draco," Lucious continued, "Because there is a specific one you go and see isn't there?"

Draco felt faint. He felt sick. This wasn't happening, he felt like crying! "I… there's…I-I don't…" he could barely breathe and he swallowed hard, taking a step back away from his parents.

"We would like to hear it from your own mouth Draco," Narcissa said sternly, "We know who it is you've been seeing, and I want to hear the name straight from you."

Draco could feel the sweat drip down past his left eye, and he quickly wiped it away. He really was going to be sick, he could feel his stomach lurching as he tried desperately to find an excuse, but could think of nothing but how he was probably going to be be-headed for this disgrace.

"I…" he couldn't think, "I'm…" he couldn't breathe, "I'm sorry…" he croaked, his throat closing as the tears began to gather in his eyes. This couldn't be it, this couldn't be all he was allowed. He loved Harry, he didn't want to get him killed, he didn't want to be killed himself either, not now he'd found someone to live for, he-

"What are you apologising for Draco?" Narcissa asked, strangely kindly, "It is wonderful news, why do you look so nervous?"

Draco stood there, completely befuddled at his mother, his breathing, although still erratic, gradually slowing down. He took a deep breath, then another just for luck, "Wha….._what_?" he exclaimed, looking from his mother to his father and back again.

"We know you have fallen in love Draco, it is obvious to see," Lucious said, "which is why the lucky girl in question is going to be your bride, as I'm sure you will have no objections."

"I……_what_?" Draco exclaimed again. He did just hear that right didn't he? He did hear his father say _girl_ right?

Narcissa smiled warmly, "It is best to have this out on the open don't you think Draco? It will be so much easier for you to be together once you are married and create a second heir to throne."

Draco's head was spinning. Girl? Another heir to throne? Marriage?

"Wait," Draco said breathlessly, "You're saying, that the reason I'm going to down to the servant quarters, is because I've fallen in love with a girl there that because I haven't chosen anyone to marry yet, you want us to get married?"

"Because you love her, yes Draco." his mother said, "I have seen the dazed look on your face, no one else has had that effect on you, so you two shall be married as soon as possible."

Draco raised one very wary eyebrow, "And err…who do you think I've fallen in love with."

Lucious smiled a warm yet tired smile, "That is the name we want to hear from you my son. Once you have said the name, you will feel so much more at ease."

Now Draco panicked again. He had no idea what girl they thought he'd fallen for. There were hundreds of female servants, how could he possibly know which one? After all he only ever went down to see Harry, just like his mother had said, well, that he goes to see the Potter's anyway, not specifically Harry, so although he was so relieved to know what Harry hadn't been found out, he still didn't know what girl they were talking about, and they were both waiting for him to say her name. Who, who had he seen while down there---

Draco's eyes went wide, and he stared back into his parents smiling faces.

Of course, there was only one other girl it could be…

----

_Present day_

There was something mystical and almost magical about the Medieval Ball this year. Maybe it was the heavy snow that fell outside, illuminated by the red and green lasers being shot up into the sky by the castle doors. Maybe it was the effort that every student had put into their costumes this year, the hall bustling with dancing bodies, the girls' gowns flowing and twirling as they danced with their partners to the music. Maybe it was all the happy faces, chatting and smiling and getting tipsy on alchopop drinks and large bowls of punch set along the long wooden tables, covered with a buffet of roast chicken and roast pork, potatoes of every kind, sandwiches, spicy things that no body knew what they were, and piles upon piles of cakes and sweets and everything you could possibly want to eat in one night.

It could have been any of those things, but of course it was more likely because in exactly half an hour, Draco was going to be kissing Harry.

Apparently anyway.

Draco stood insanely excited by the wall at the back of the hall, his heart feeling it was about to leap out of his chest in excitement. He chewed at the end of his sleeve nervously, despite the grin on his face, and was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes glued on Harry as he and Dean burst out laughing when Seamus, huge wide summer blue gown with trimmings of gold and a long blond curly wig, came twirling into the hall with a humongous grin on his face loving how ridiculous he looked.

It was 11.30pm on the 31st December, and Draco had been waiting for the twins to come back from checking something about their plan for the last 10 minutes. He was so giddy with the thought of kissing Harry that he wasn't even getting annoyed at people who walked through him, and as he was so focused on staring at Harry in a daze hadn't even noticed when someone had pushed their girl up against the wall right through him and thoroughly snogged the living daylights out of her.

This was it. This was the night. He had no idea what was going to happen, what the twins were planning, all he knew was that the vial he held in his right hand was going to give him the one thing he'd wanted in so many years. He was going to feel Harry's warmth, feel those gorgeous lips upon his own. He didn't know how this was going to happen, but he was too far away in bliss to care how, just as long as it happened.

Draco felt like he was back home again, his real home, back when he was alive. Everyone's costumes looked so real, the Hall looked so real, so old, and even though the modern music was entirely out of place, Draco found himself swaying along to it where he stood, just simply unable to get the grin off his face as he watched Harry raise a glass of champagne to his friends, before all three of them gulped each of their glasses down in one, Harry nearly chocking but grinning as he did while Seamus whacked him on the back a couple of times.

What made it feel really real though, was what Harry was wearing. It was a simple white shirt and brown breeches (Draco had heard Harry complaining to himself when he put it on how boring it was), but for Draco, it was perfect. Even though it wasn't stained with various dyes, it was the similar sort of clothing his Harry wore when he was alive and working as a tailor, and to see his new Harry wearing it made Draco's heart skip a beat.

---

"Well, you know what; it's good to see you having a laugh Harry." Seamus grinned at his best friend, flicking his golden locks out the way and straight into Dean's face standing beside him.

"Me? How'd ya mean?" Harry smiled, grabbing an open bottle of Smirnoff ice from an ice bucket on one of the tables.

"Well you've been really out of it recently," Seamus said, snuggling against Dean as an apology for whacking him in the face.

"I have?" Harry asked, a little louder as the music suddenly changed pace and rhythm and the volume increased, more people heading out to dance.

"Yeah, staring into space and just looking really, I dunno…lost or something. Ever since you collapsed down by the Lake, you've just been acting weird, so it's good to see you happy again!" Seamus grinned, and Dean wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pressed his own bottle of beer to Seamus's lips, who drank it heartily.

Harry watched them for a moment before taking a long swig from his own bottle too. He hadn't realised he'd been acting strange. Mind you, ever since he had that…whatever it was, happen to him by the Lake, he hadn't once stopped thinking, truly _obsessively_, thinking about his Prince. When he thought about it, he guessed he had been staring into space a lot, and every time he'd been thinking of his platinum haired dream guy. Those piercing grey eyes that only ever held love when looked upon him. That silky soft hair that his dream self would run his fingers through as they kissed, loving the feel as it slipped through his fingers. That slim waist pressed hard against his own, those long fingers running over his back, the throaty moans that escaped those heavenly kissable lips…

"Er…Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry asked absentmindedly, staring between Seamus and Dean at nothing in particular, raising his bottle to lips again with a soppy far away grin on his face.

Seamus rolled his eyes, "Never mind."

Over by the wall, Draco grinned to himself as he watched Seamus and Dean take the mick out of Harry for being such a spaz. It was because of him that Harry kept on grinning inanely like that, even if the boy didn't realise it, and that made Draco almost want to giggle.

"Hey Princy we're back!" came the chorused twins, appearing through the wall either side of Draco.

Draco leapt up from the wall and faced them eagerly, "So, everything's okay right? I can I do this now right? Everything's going to work right? I _am_ going to kiss him right? This is really going to happen right? You really sure? Why are you looking at me like that? Stop laughing!"

The twins couldn't hold back their laugher at Draco's childish excitement. They really did like this new side to their prince, it was something they'd never imagined on him, yet it strangely suited him.

"Aww, look at you, you're so _cuuuute_!" they chorused again, pinching both his cheeks with one hand each.

"Stop that!" Draco commanded, briskly brushing their arms away with his own and then rubbing his cheeks, flushing in embarrassment at his moment of lack of emotional control.

"Ok, here's the plan!" Fred exclaimed, both of them sliding up to Draco's side and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Draco eyeing them suspiciously out of the corner of his eyes. "A few seconds before midnight strikes, you're going to drink that potion." he said, indicating to the vial Draco was holding.

"Drink it here out the way 'cause then hopefully people won't notice you suddenly appearing out of no where." George said.

"And even if they do, they can probably just take it as being pissed out their brains." Fred added, George nodding in agreement. "Don't worry if other people see you once you've appeared, 'cause to them you're gonna fit right in, they'll just think you're in fancy dress like everyone else."

"When the clock strikes 12, we're going to pull the plug on the main electricity cable to the hall, which means everyone's going to be plunged into darkness."

"Then you, who by this time would have got near to Harry, will kiss him! It'll be dark so he won't freak out."

"Well, he probably _will_, being grabbed in the dark and snogged, but hey it's New Year Eve, stuff like that happens, people get drunk."

"Just don't let him see you. Remember to him you're a dream, and would really freak out if he saw you walking towards him and then disappearing again when the potion wears off."

Draco stood there staring at the floor, or what he could see of it through the mass of people anyway. As he watched the feet walking and dancing past his eyes, slowly running the twins plan over in his mind again, and then again to make sure he hadn't missed anything, he slowly looked up with a small smile on his lips.

"You know…that's actually a well thought out idea."

Fred and George grinned at each other widely.

"W-well, I mean, good for two un-educated kitchen boys anyway." Draco quickly added at the grins on their faces.

He didn't want to seem like he was becoming _too_ much of a softie.

"Nah, too late. After 900 years and you've complemented us, that one's gonna stick with us now!" They winked at him.

Draco turned his nose up at them and turned away, crossing his arms annoyed. "When you two are done ridiculing your Prince I suggest we get on with this."

The twins placed their hands to their foreheads in a salute, "Yes Sir!" they chorused. "Just think, he's going to be aaaaaaallllll yours tonight!"

Draco blushed at that statement and glared at them again, before a thought suddenly struck his mind, "Wait, why does this have to be done at midnight? Why can't you just cut the power now?"

The twins grinned sneakily at each other, "Well, for you I suppose you can always call it romantic, but the real reason?" Fred said, both of them leaning in and whispering to Draco, "It's midnight on New Years Eve, it's gonna really annoy everyone that the power goes out while they're counting down heh heh!"

Draco rolled his eyes. Typical. For the twins, it was just another in a long line of practical jokes.

----

The three spirits spent the remaining 15 minutes watching the other students, most now keeping an eye on their watches waiting for the old castle bell to start its 12 strikes to indicate the New Year. Well, two of them were watching (and also stealing people's drinks and moving them to remote places on the tables just to annoy them), but Draco was beginning to become a nervous wreck.

It was 2 minutes till the bell would start to toll, and then he'd have one minute, just _one minute _once he'd drunk the potion, to get Harry in his arms again. What if something went wrong? What if the potion didn't work? Or what if it did work but it lasted shorter then a minute and would return him to his ghostly form before he got anywhere near Harry? What if Harry spotted him walking towards him before the lights went out? What if there were too many people crowding around him to be able to get to him in time?

What if the potion wasn't for making him human for one minute but in fact turned him into some grotesque demon with long sharp spikes for ears and an insufferable appetite for peanut butter?

Draco frowned.

He really needed to stop listening to the twins making up stories to amuse their own boredom.

And he really needed to find out what peanut butter was.

"Ready Draco?" Fred asked as the twins arrived once more back at his side.

"What?" Draco exclaimed, "I-It's time already?" he asked with wide nervous eyes.

"Yeah, but…are you alright?" George asked softly, "You're shaking."

Indeed Draco was shaking, holding the vial so tight in his hand he lightened his grip quickly in case it broke and ruined for himself this one chance before it had even happened.

"I'm…" Draco glanced across at Harry, every student now looking up to the giant digital clock, 6 meters in width hanging in front of the Christmas tree from the ceiling, counting down from two minutes, "I'm nervous…" he sighed timidly.

"Aw don't worry about it!" George said, clapping him on the back, "As soon as it starts counting down from 40 seconds, drink that potion. That should give you enough time to get over to Harry and kiss him and change back to spirit form before the backup electrical system comes on, so he won't see you when the lights come back."

A part of Draco, which he had been trying to ignore, had an overwhelming feeling of sadness that even though he was going to kiss Harry, Harry himself wouldn't know who was kissing him. But at the moment, that wasn't something he could be fussy on. After 900 years, a kiss was a kiss, and he was going to make the most of this opportunity, because it was very unlikely he'd ever get it again.

"Ooo, one minute!" Fred exclaimed as the large clock ticked over to 59 seconds, "We'll be off then!" Fred smiled at Draco, grabbing George and zooming upwards into the air, flying off to the top of the rafters.

Draco's heart leapt to his throat in a mild panic attack, "No wait! What if something-" But the twins had already disappeared through the roof. "-goes wrong…" Draco finished dejectedly, and looked down at the vial in his hands.

One chance. One kiss. Even if he could never do this again, this one kiss would at least let him remember what it felt like to be kissed, at least he'd be able to remember Harry's warmth, and he could then recall all his living memories and what they felt like again. He'd forgotten Harry's touch, and this was his one chance the let him remember.

He had to it, sod the consequences.

He glanced up at the clock, students raising their drinks to the air and laughing and swaying drunkenly. He could still see Harry, about 20 feet away form him. 48 seconds, 47, 46…Draco took out the glass top to the vial and dropped it to the floor, rolling away against the wall. "This is it." he said to himself, looking at the swirling contents, watching the small sparkles glisten…. 45, 44…

He tipped his head back, and drank those last two sips in the vial.

For the first few seconds, it seemed as though one of Draco's worries was coming true. Nothing was happening. His pulse quickened with an overwhelming panic and sadness. It wasn't working! He didn't feel any different!

But then it hit him.

His eyes flew open wide and he doubled over in pain, clutching at his stomach as a soaring heat rose from deep within him. It felt like someone was pouring molten lava into his stomach, and he bit back a mild scream. His breathing became erratic, clawing at his stomach and then at his chest, as the heat seemed to course through his veins like blood, seeping into his muscles, over flowing his senses. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, his arms and legs stung as a painful batch of extreme pins and needles attacked them. He collapsed to his knees; arms wrapped around himself as he knelt there and shook violently. The heat continued to flow through him, filling every inch of his soul, burning and searing, before suddenly, he was aware of something very heavy on his head and shoulders. A familiar heaviness, something he hadn't felt in a very long time…

"Hey, are you alright?"

Draco immediately stopped shaking, the pain disappearing in an instant. He knelt there, arms still wrapped around himself, before he opened one eye cautiously. When no pains shot through him, he opened the other eye, staring at the legs of someone standing right in front of him.

"Hey, I said are you okay?"

Draco blinked, and as he slowly looked up, found a male student looking down at him. It was Zach Smith, that really annoying guy who'd been following Harry around for the past week. But as Draco stared up at him, he suddenly realised what the weight on his shoulders was.

It was gravity.

"Are you…" Draco breathed, staring at Zach with wide eyes, "Are you talking to _me_?" he asked breathlessly.

Zach rolled his eyes and blew his fringe out of his eyes, "No, I'm talking to the Ghost of Christmas Past. You're the one huddled on the floor aren't cha?" he scowled at him, "I was only checking to see if you were ok, but it looks as though you're just pissed." He turned to walk away, before he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, eyeing Draco with a small smirk, "You should be careful you know, you never know what people can do to you when you're drunk." And with that, walked away into the crowd.

Draco stared after him, eyes so wide he was sure they must have been bulging out his sockets. When the shock passed, and his breathing returning to a vague sense of normality, he suddenly realised…

Well, _everything_!

He could _feel_! His skin became alive with the sensations the room held, the fine hairs on his arms remembering this particular feeling and sending a signal straight to Draco's brain telling him this was warmth! He felt _warmth_! He could feel the light breeze from the doors, ruffling his hair gently. He could feel the weight of his clothes, the fine fabrics rubbing against his skin, Harry's velvet cloak splayed out beside him where he knelt. He could feel the hard stone floor on his knees, and looking down, pressed his palms to the floor. This…this was cold, he remembered _cold_! It was rough with age, it was cold, he remembered! He could feel! And…and he could…

Draco took a deep breath through his nose.

Chicken!

He smelt chicken!

Draco almost melted where he was kneeling. Chicken! _Chicken_! He _loved_ chicken and he could smell it! He leapt up from the floor, before suddenly realising that not being affected by gravity for 900 years tends to put you off balance, and he fell against the wall behind him, looking to his left to see his roast chicken in mind half eaten on one of the tables.

He leant against the wall, breathing heavily, a grin on his face so huge his jaws started to hurt. And he could feel that too! He could _feel_ them ache! He could feel softness of the cotton drape on the wall behind him where he leant, and he laughed, he truly laughed like he'd never laughed before!

He could _feel_, he could _smell_, he could _touch_!

He was alive!

"25 seconds everyone!"

And at that, he remembered why he was alive.

The grin immediately leaving his face, he snapped his head around to find Harry's familiar messy black hair in the crowd, and spotted him, still the same place he'd been before.

Struggling slightly as the excitement from being alive subsided and his limbs decided to remind him they hadn't moved under gravity for a very, _very_ long time, Draco fell forward and grabbed onto another students shoulder to keep him upright, ignoring the, "Oi watch it!" from the north London accent that accompanied the girl.

"20 seconds!"

Draco panicked. There were too many people, they weren't parting ways so he could get to Harry, and he could barely walk! Falling over his own feet as he tried to get them to remember how to run, he both pushed the students away and held onto them as he tried desperately to make it over to his love, facing away from him cheering along with his best friend as the first strike of the castle bell rang throughout the hall. That meant he had less then 12 seconds! People were treading on his cloak, half strangling him as he ripped it away from under them, swimming through the mass of people to get to Harry. _When are the lights going to go out?_ He panicked as he grasped towards Harry, knocking people's drinks out of their hands and ignoring the swearing and cursing as he reached out for him.

The students were counting down from 5 seconds now. Harry's was two feet away, but these students in front of him weren't moving!

Draco growled, "OUT OF MY WAY!"

The students, having not being paying attention to him, jumped and parted immediately, and finally, Harry was right in front of him. Praying to God that the twins were actually going to get these light off some when this year, which meant they had all of about two seconds to do it, Draco grabbed hold of Harry's shoulder, Harry freezing under his touch, and turned him around…

There was a loud electrical buzz and the Hall was plunged into darkness, and at the one remaining sound of the 12th strike of the bell bringing in the New Year, Draco finally found the lips he had been yearning for.

The hot, sweet lips of the love of his life, and of his death, and he buried his hands in Harry's hair. His senses were engrossed in the overwhelming heat that soured through his mouth, his lips tingling and heart beating so loudly it drowned out the screaming and confused students around him. He could smell that familiar scent that was simply Harry, could feel his tongue against his own as he explored feverishly the mouth he'd fallen in love to kiss. The heat, the soft and eager lips, the messy hair that used to drive him wild scrunched up in his hands as he kissed him like he'd never kiss again, which was probably very true.

He was so caught up in his love that he didn't even fully notice that Harry was actually kissing him back.

But to his horror, even though he knew it was coming, Draco could suddenly feel the warmth that was consuming his body start to fade. The hotness that had consumed his soul giving him a physical form was starting to cool, and he could feel his fingers getting colder.

He was returning to his spirit form.

_No, no not yet!_ Draco screwed up his eyes tighter and latched on to Harry, pressing his fading body against his as hard as possible, legs intertwining, chests and stomachs locked together. His senses were starting to fade, his fingers couldn't feel Harry's hair anymore, and no matter how much he grasped on to him, his fingers started to slip through him instead. He was being taken away again, he didn't want to let him go, he wanted to stay! Alive! With Harry!

_Please!..._

Then just as one rush of freezing wind wrapped around his own body, Draco suddenly fell forward, straight through Harry, and just as the lights came back on, fell to his knees on the floor, all feeling and warmth disappeared.

The students around him were cheering and laughing now the lights were back on, a lot of them breaking into song as the New Year had finally arrived, but Draco didn't hear a thing. He knelt on the floor, his fingers on his lips, and tears in his closed eyes. He kissed him, he'd kissed Harry, after so long and for a few seconds he was finally able to hold him. It was bliss, the most exciting moment of his death.

But it was over now. That was it.

It would seem that for 900 years waiting on Earth, all he was going to get was a kiss. Draco tried to smile to himself. He shouldn't complain really, he wasn't even supposed to get that one kiss, and Ron was probably going to kill him, again, if he found out what he'd just done.

A kiss was a kiss, and _wow_, what a kiss! Draco truly smiled to himself as he continued running his fingers over his lips. He couldn't feel them there of course, but just to know that a few seconds ago they had been kissing Harry's was enough, and at least he could remember his warmth now. Now he could relive his memories in his mind, remembering what they actually felt like.

"Draco?"

Draco's eyes shot open and he spun around on the floor, looking up at Harry who stood there with a look of complete shook on his face, he too touching his lips. He was blushing, running his fingers over his lips slowly and breathing heavily, staring in front of him over Draco with out of focused eyes.

Draco blinked, his heart threatening to beat out of his ribcage. Did…did he hear that correctly?

"Draco?" Harry whispered again, his eyes getting wider.

Harry stood there, completely confused. What the hell had just happened? For all sense and purpose he'd had no idea what he was doing, except that kissing whoever had just kissed him felt like the most important thing he could have possibly done in his life. But the moment whoever it was had kissed him, the name 'Draco', for some reason, popped straight into his mind, along with the image of his dream prince. It was his prince that was all he could see as he kissed this mystery person, as if it was really him that was kissing him, so kissed him back with all his heart. The thought that this couldn't possibly be his prince and was probably giving someone the completely wrong idea with thoroughly kissing them back, hadn't even found its way into his brain. This was, one way or another, in his mind, his prince, his prince that was….that was called Draco.

Yes, Draco, but….where did this person go?

He of course had no idea that it really _was_ his prince he'd been kissing, the same prince who was currently kneeling in front of him, staring with wide eyes and not believing he'd just heard his name spoken by Harry after 900 years.

So close, yet a completely different world apart, but somehow, Harry knew. Draco watched him, speechless. What did that mean? What had he done by kissing him?

"Dra…" Harry began again, finding that speaking his name kept the sudden rush of love and heat inside him, when he suddenly stopped abruptly, a stabbing pain shooting through his head, and he slammed his palm against his scar and grit his teeth hard.

Draco shot up form the floor, arms out to grab him by the shoulders when of course he fell straight through him again, spinning round in panic at the sight of Harry in pain. It was happening again, that thing down by the Lake. Had he triggered it by kissing him?

Harry felt like his head was going to explode, and he pressed his palm into his scar as hard as he could as it flared with an unbearable heat. He could hear himself groaning in pain and felt a hand on his shoulder. Squinting one eye open he found Seamus next to him, a very worried look on his face. He could see his mouth moving, asking if he was okay, but Harry couldn't hear a thing. His hearing had muffled, all he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears, and he shut his eye again. Another stab of pain shot through his head, making him stumble backwards into another student behind him, bringing his other hand to his head and clutching at it desperately. More people were crowding around him, he felt hands on his arms and shoulders, trying to pry his hands away from his head, but the pain wouldn't go away! It wasn't stopping, it was getting worse! He flung around, stumbling and moved his hands from his head and out in front of him to push the crowd of students away from him as he tried to get out the hall, opening his eyes and…

Harry stopped.

The people around him weren't students.

Oh they were in medieval clothing yes, but they were all standing still staring at something behind him. There was no pounding music, no artificial lights, in fact it was bright sunshine coming through the windowless windows, shining down with golden streams on the quiet crowd in front of him. The air was fresh and warm, but the hall was still the same. Still the same high roof and rafters, still the same shape. Harry realized the pain in his head had gone, and he blinked, looking at these strange people in front of him. He took a few steps back, eyes wide, and felt the wall behind him and stood against it, looking back towards the front of the hall.

On a raised stone platform, in front of the captivated crowd, stood two people, their backs to Harry, and a well over dressed Priest, standing reading from a large worn out book in front of the two. He watched, absolutely no idea what was going on, when his hearing finally returned, the muffling sounds returning as the Priest reading from the bible, and the soft twittering of birds outside.

He glanced back to the crowd in the Hall, none of them paying any attention to him, and he slowly moved forward, raising one arm and waving it in front of a well dressed man, arms linked with what Harry presumed was his wife. When the man didn't blink or even look his way, Harry called out;

"Hello?"

No one did or said a thing, just continued to watch the people up in front.

Ok, if Harry had been confused before, he was completely flabbergasted now. What, in the name of all things Holy, was going on? He'd been standing in the Great Hall getting tipsy on alcohol about to bring in the new year when some random person had kissed him, the name Draco and his prince popping into his mind, before feeling like he was about to pass out from pain, when all of a sudden, he was here.

But, here was the same place he'd just been, just…different. Older somehow.

He moved slowly against the wall, eyeing everyone as he moved closer to the front where these two people were, before his mind was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of jealousy. He stopped, blinked, and took a deep breath. Ok, that was weird. He could feel his hands clenching at his sides, and he looked down at them, frowning in a complete loss at what was going on. He felt really jealous, felt like….like something really precious to him was being looked at by someone else.

Well that made no sense.

Maybe he _had_ passed out from pain and this was a dream?

"…heir to the throne of England, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, and future Queen of England?"

Harry froze.

Being nearer the front, he could hear word for word what the Priest was saying, and with eyes as wide as saucers, slowly looked up. He was in line with the two people standing in front of the priest now, in fact slightly in front of them. It was a woman and man. The woman wore a plain long and silky white dress, fanning out at the bottom, a long trail behind her going down the steps to the floor. She wore a long deep red cloak over her shoulders, trimmed with gold, clasped around her neck with a golden latch in the shape of an oak leaf, and a glittering golden tiara on her head, her hair tied in a tight bun.

The man, who was nearest to Harry, wore nothing but white. He was covered with a long sleeved white cloak, reaching right to the floor, with a silky white pattern on the back and sleeves of oak leaves, matching the woman's clasp. You couldn't see anything else he was wearing, but the cloak, like the woman's dress, lead a long trail down the steps behind him.

But it was the platinum blond hair, that Harry couldn't stop staring at.

The platinum blond hair that hadn't left his dreams his whole life.

The platinum blond hair he'd just imagined running his fingers through when kissing that person just now.

This was a marriage. Someone was marrying his Prince! Harry felt himself grit his teeth. Well, least that explained why he was jealous, but why was he feeling it so badly? He'd felt jealous before he'd even realised who this man getting married was.

"Your Highness?"

Harry then finally realised that his Prince had been asked if he'd marry the girl in question, Harry so caught up in staring at him had completely missed the name of the woman. But his Prince Draco wasn't saying anything, and the Priest frowned, edging him on. The silent room began to murmur, but Harry held his gaze on Draco.

Then, slowly, Draco's head turned to the left, and looked at Harry through the corner of his eyes. Harry's heart leapt to his throat, before:

"Draco…" came a whispered voice.

Spinning around Harry saw he had been standing in front of a small doorway, a doorway that wasn't in the Great Hall he knew, and there, staring straight at Draco just like he'd been doing too, was…

Himself?

Harry took a step back in shock.

He was staring back at himself, the same green eyes, same height, the only differences being no glasses and slightly lighter hair, more of a dark brown then his own completely raven hair. This Harry was staring straight through him up at Draco with lost and sad eyes, and as Harry turned around to look back at his prince, looking from one to the other as they held eye contact, Draco smiled. It was a very sad smile, a smile that clearly said sorry, wishing this wasn't happening, before turning back to the Priest. Harry watched his brunette self close his eyes and lower his head, turning away back through the door quietly.

"I do." Came Draco's small and quiet voice, and in an instant, Harry's scar exploded with pain again, and he passed out.

----

**_An extract from the journal of Prince Draco Malfoy, 18th April 1098._**

_Well that had to be the most terrifying few minutes of my life. I thought my parents had found out about Harry and I today, and goodness, the relief that they hadn't!_

_However, our secret has come with a price now. My mother, sneaky annoying woman that she is, had someone follow me when I've been going down to see Harry, and now she's got it into her head that I've fallen in love with a girl down there._

_She's said we're going to be married, and this is where the price comes in. I really **am** going to have to marry her. It's the only way I can keep Harry a secret, because if I say that's it's not this girl I'm in love with, she's going to ask for the real reason why I keep going down to the servant quarters, and there's no way I'm telling her about Harry._

_There's no other way, to keep Harry safe, I have to marry this girl. I haven't told Harry yet, I'm still really coming to terms with it myself. How am I going to tell him? A part of me knew this day would come, where I'd have to marry someone, but I guess I was just being selfish and trying to deny it ever would. I'm so happy with Harry I never wanted anything to change._

_But it's going to be so awkward to tell Harry this; it wouldn't have mattered too much if it was any other girl, just not this one. You see, as my mother asked who it was I'd fallen in love with, it became obvious to me who she was referring too. There was only one other girl who I ever saw when seeing Harry, only one other girl that mother would be happy about me marrying because, after all, she was on her bride-to-be list. As much as I want to, it's not Harry I'm marrying._

_It's his sister, Holly._

To Be Continued…

AN: Notes in the usual place, link at the bottom of my profile. You also might be interested to know that I've written my very first NC-17 Harry/Draco fic on there too ;)


	8. Chapter 7: Secret

**AN:** I am SO sorry about not updating for so long. My muse disappeared for writing and instead made me make loads of Harry Potter slash music videos. If you want to see them the link is on my profile, but I'm back to my story now.

**Chapter 7: Secret**

_18th April 1098_

Draco stormed down one of the cold stony corridors towards his mother's reading room, where she could normally be found this time of day. It had been three hours since Draco had guessed it was Holly his parents had thought he'd fallen in love with, and had since locked himself in his room thinking over things and writing in his journal. How would Harry take the news he had to marry his sister? Would it be a good thing? That out of all the people in the world he did at least vaguely know her and her family, or would it be bad? Bad that…that he'd have to spend every day living a lie, married to Holly, but in love with her brother? Harry would of course still love him, he'd said those words so many times, but the moral implications were just…well, weird. In a strange way it was a bit contradicting to be talking about morals when having an affair with a man, but to Draco, that seemed perfectly fine.

Marrying Holly meant that his parents would expect him to conceive an heir as soon as possible, but the thought of sleeping with her when all he would see was her brother just completely screwed Draco's brain up completely. Ignoring that deep and awkward thought process for the moment, Draco only had one card he could play. He had to convince his mother he didn't love Holly, without her guessing he loved Harry (or thinking it was anyone else for that matter), then maybe he could bide his time a bit longer and not get married.

He had deliberately worked himself up into an anger fit, knowing that if he seemed very serious that he didn't want to get married, maybe his mother would let him go. It was a lousy shot, but it was all he had.

With both hands he swung open the heavy wooden doors to his mothers reading room and stormed in, his cloak billowing behind him. It was a large square room, the same stone walls as everywhere else, but one high backed chair in the furthest corner next to a window, and one tall bookcase on each of the four walls.

Narcissa didn't even look up when her son invaded her room.

"Mother, I don't love Miss Potter."

Draco stopped in the middle of the room, still a little away from his mother, and stood as straight as he could, his fists clenched, waiting. The words were out his mouth. Now he just had to hope she didn't ask too many questions.

Narcissa sighed, her expression bored, and still didn't look up from her book, "What is your point Draco?"

"I don't love Holly Potter," Draco repeated, voice firm, "therefore I do not want to marry her."

Narcissa continued to read for a moment before flipping a page over gently, "You're marrying her Draco. Whether you love her or not is irrelevant, she is the only lead we have had with you and as I have said a hundred times before, we do not know how much longer your father has to live and we cannot afford any more delays."

"Whether I love her or…" Draco whispered incredulously to himself, "Mother how can you say that? I don't want to marry someone I don't love, it defeats the point. And how can you talk about father so calmly? You keep on saying he doesn't have long to live, but it never looks like you care." he added. Whenever she spoke of his father, her tone of voice never changed. It was so bizarre, to talk of someone you love dying soon so calmly. He could never do that; he'd be out of his mind with worry if that was Harry.

Narcissa finally looked up from her book and eyed her son carefully. Draco hated it when she did that, it made him feel like she was scanning him inside and out. Finally she closed the book in her lap.

"Draco, are you under the impression that I love your father?" she asked calmly.

_What?_ Draco thought, staring at her.

"Or that marriage has anything to do with love?"

"…what?" he finally whispered out loud, "You don't love him?"

"Of course I don't love him." she replied, voice stern, ignoring Draco's dumbfounded look, "Your father chose me out of many eligible young countesses because my family was the richest in the country. I was honored that, at the time, the Prince had chosen me to be his bride. That honor has continued throughout the years. It is not love, I care for him as the King, as any other English man or woman would care for their King. I did not even know his first name until our wedding day, and only during our vows did I ever speak it. When you are part of the royal family Draco, you do not marry for love, you marry for the sake of the country, whatever is best for it. You do not have a choice. You have been so difficult over the years I have _tried_ to give you a choice, to which no other would have done so I can assure you, but the time has come Draco, and your feelings for Miss Potter, whatever they may be, are the closest you are going to get to 'love'."

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mother didn't love her husband? But they've been married for so many years! Draco didn't like the feeling he was getting deep inside him, like a dark cloud was slowly shadowing him in worry.

"You're not allowed to love Draco." Narcissa continued coolly, "You were born to choose the best bride that came along, produce an heir and become the King. When you are the Prince of England, your love is reserved only for your country, not for a woman."

"I'm not marrying her." Draco said darkly, a small amused part of him at the back of his brain agreeing with her that yes, his love was certainly not reserved for a 'woman'.

He wasn't going to marry Holly. There was no way they could force him into this, no way. This was sick. Not allowed to love? Forget it! He knew what love felt like, there was no way he was spending his whole life without it and ending up like his mother! An emotionless empty soul with not a loving feeling inside her. No wonder he so very rarely saw his parents as a child, if they weren't allowed to love, then they probably didn't even love him either.

He was so caught up in his own angry thoughts; he didn't notice the darkened look in his mothers eyes until she placed her book on the small side table and stood up from her chair.

"Are you disobeying me Draco?" she said warningly.

"This is ridiculous mother!" Draco shouted, taking an angry step towards her, "How can you live a life like that? Don't you love _anything_? Do you even love _me_?"

"Because you do know the punishment for refusing to marry don't you?" she continued, ignoring him, eyes glaring into his as she stepped towards him.

"You can't do anything to me I'm the _Prince_!" Draco reminded her angrily, "I'm not spending my life locking up every feeling inside me!" What was wrong with her? This was so simple! Why couldn't she understand? What kind of life had she lived? This was so stupid, "I am _not_ marrying her," Draco ordered as he stood face to face with his mother, "I'm _not_ going to end up like _you_!"

SLAP!

"How _dare_ you speak to me like that!" she shouted furiously at him.

Draco froze where he was, the anger draining out of him as he held his hand against his right cheek where his mother had slapped him, shock seeping through instead. His mother had never laid a hand on him, had barely ever even looked at him. He slowly looked back up at her, his hand still on his cheek and his eyes still wide with shock.

"You ungrateful little _brat_! The punishment for a Prince to refuse marriage is _death_."

Draco's eyes widened even further and it felt like his heart suddenly stopped beating. What? Since…since when? Draco couldn't help but gap at her, what on earth was she talking about?

"A Prince who refuses to marry is of no use to the country, and you would have _wasted_ our time." She spat at him, "If you don't get married to that girl the country will fall into disrepair when your father dies. Do you want that to happen? Do you want the guilt of leaving your country open to whoever decides they want the throne weighing on your shoulders while you rot in hell for your betrayal?" she cried.

"M-mother!" Draco choked as he took a step back away from her, Narcissa taking a step forward to match. Draco was beyond shocked; he'd never heard his mother talk like this!

"You will marry Holly Potter," she ordered directly to his face, "or so help me I will personally order your be-heading tomorrow morning."

Draco couldn't hold back the small whimper that escaped his lips at the death threat said by his own mother, and could feel his blood run cold. What was this? What was happening? This was a side of her he'd never seen, and never wanted to see! How…how can she…would she really kill him? Her own son? Be-headings weren't uncommon, they usually held one every week in the courtyard for whatever criminal they'd caught that week, but…Draco was lost for words. He didn't know about that rule, were Prince's really killed if they refused to marry? That meant he would _have_ to marry Holly, his very life would depend on it!

"Y-you…you really," Draco gulped nervously as he stared back into his mothers icey blue eyes, "…_don't_ love me do you?"

Narcissa glared at her son for a moment more, before taking a step back and turning around, picking up her book, "A Queen's care is for her King, a King's love is for his country." She turned back to him as she approached the door to walk out, "Remember that." and with that walked through; leaving a very confused and very scared Draco behind her.

* * *

Since his drastically failed attempt at convincing his mother to let him not marry Holly, Draco had once again locked himself in his room, ordering Sirius not to let anyone into his room on pain of death, and he was very serious.

His mother's behavior had given him chills, scared him to no end, and had confirmed what he had thought for so many years anyway. His parents couldn't care less about him. The only reason he was born was to find a bride, live in a loveless marriage, produce an heir and leave it to the maids to raise, rule a country he didn't want to rule, and then die. Die a lonely, un-cared for death, where an entire country would mourn, but only for as long as it took to crown the next King. There wouldn't be that special someone, someone coming to visit his grave, to lay flowers, to shed a tear. He'd be forgotten, like all the Kings before him, he'd rot away alone, having done was he was born to do, his freewill having been taken before he was even conceived, let alone born into a world where his life was already planned out before him.

Draco stared down at his open journal, a new page, but blank as he hovered the nib of his quill over it, but unable to find the words to write down what he felt. How could he summarize finding out his life was completely ruined before it had even begun? Then knowing the fact that your own mother could quite happily kill you because you didn't want to marry someone you didn't love?

If he hadn't had fallen in love with Harry, then maybe he could have done it, maybe he could have lived like that. After all, if you didn't know love to start with, you didn't know what you were missing, so it wouldn't have mattered. But he couldn't do it now. He couldn't live without this feeling, this heart fluttering feeling, this heat that would rise to your cheeks, the tender touch and soft words from the one person in the world who didn't just see you as a future ruler, but as a person. He couldn't do it, he couldn't live with out it.

He couldn't live without Harry anymore.

That was a good place to start in his journal, and wrote that thought down.

But what was he going to do? He had no choice, he _had_ to marry Holly, but how on earth would Harry take that? This was wrong, in so many ways, this was so wrong, but there was absolutely nothing he could do to change it. Like his mother said, he had no choice, and it was becoming more abundantly clear on every moment that passed. The question was, would he tell Harry? And could he even possibly tell him that he'd be killed if he didn't marry his sister?

As he said before, it wasn't that he was worried Harry wouldn't love him, they'd been together for 8 months, but it would feel awkward wouldn't it? He'd imagine that Harry would feel worried that his sister would be in a loveless marriage, but Harry knew him, he knew he'd take care of her, even if he didn't love her. She was as much of a victim of this forced marriage as he was, and he wouldn't expect her to act like his mother! In fact if she did he'd _order_ her not to!

Maybe Harry would think it was a good thing? After all, at least he wouldn't be marrying a complete stranger, Harry knew his own sister, and he'd know that Draco would be looked after too right?

Draco sighed and put his quill down, rubbing his temples. This was all too complicated and confusing. Why did he have to be in this situation at all? He hated it. He hated having his life lived for him. He hated being a Prince! He just wanted to run away from it all, far away where no one could find him, where he could do what he wanted to do instead of having his parents tell him what to do, to have this pressure of marriage and ruling a country, couldn't he just have a normal life? Wasn't he allowed to live a normal life?

Draco chuckled dryly to himself, because that was the problem wasn't it? He wasn't allowed to live a normal life, he wasn't allowed to do anything, he wasn't even allowed to love.

Well, if Draco was one thing, it was a rule breaker. One of his favourite games as a child had been hide and seek with Sirius. Not that Sirius ever knew he was a participant, but Draco would deliberately hide from his protective bodyguard and hide in cupboards, giggling quietly to himself watching through the crack in the door as Sirius would walk by, worried that, yet _again_, the little Prince had run off. Sirius would scold him when he found him, as much as a bodyguard could scold his Prince anyway, but the cheeky little Draco would stick his tongue out and run off again. It was the only fun time he ever had as a child, Sirius had been the closest thing he had to a friend. He knew that the only reason he cared or was around him all the time was because he had been ordered to, that it was his job, but it was still the closest he had. The only other children his age were the servants children, and his parents had strictly forbidden him to go anywhere near those "filthy commoners".

He spent most of his childhood in the library, being taught the history of the country and what he should do when he became King. Books after books after tutors after tutors, proper teachings on how to act like a member of the royal family, rules on how to make laws, procedures on wars, it was a lot of boring information for a young child to try and learn.

Draco placed his quill back down on the desk and let the ink dry for a moment before closing the book. He felt marginally better, having drifted off on to other things from the thoughts of death threats from his own mother and forced marriages to his lover's sister.

Draco leant back in his chair and stared up at the high ceiling. He would tell Harry about everything, about the marriage. He'd have to, he'd only find out eventually anyway, like when the wedding day came around. Draco still wasn't sure how he'd take it, but like everything else, he didn't have a choice.

Even though he knew he'd tell him everything when he saw him, Draco had the sudden strong urge to see Harry right then and there. After everything that had happened today, he needed to see him, needed to be held by him. Harry was the only one who loved him, the only one who really cared about him, and Draco wondered if he'd be in his room right now, if he could sneak down their secret passageway and see him like he'd done so many times before.

Draco smiled wistfully to himself at the thought of all the times he'd sneaked down there. He could get away with staying the night with Harry, because Harry always had to get up early for his work, so Draco could sneak back to his own room before anyone came in. This secret passageway was driving Sirius nuts though, because he could never tell which room Draco was in. But his post was outside Draco's room until the soldiers took over so he could sleep, so if he was to be seen anywhere else, especially down in the servant's quarters in the middle of the night, suspicions would quickly rise. He may not like it, but that was tough.

Draco could only ever be with Harry in secret, but that was okay, he'd wait forever to be with him, to feel him, to-

Draco physically jumped in his chair and let out a very undignified squeak when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around his shoulders from behind, and a familiar pair of lips brushing across his neck. Draco relaxed almost instantly, glancing across at the slight ajar door to the secret passageway by the fireplace and smiled, snuggling back slightly into those arms.

"Heh, I was just thinking about you." He said, raising one arm behind him and running his fingers through the mass of black hair by his neck.

Harry chuckled lightly, "So that's why you were smiling so serenely."

Draco smiled and closed his eyes as Harry continued to nuzzle against his neck, placing feather light kisses on every bit of skin he could see. Draco let himself bask in those light but oh so heavenly feelings, before the feeling of wanting to feel more over took him and turned in his chair so he could face him.

Harry smiled down at him, running his fingers down Draco's cheek, and his thumb over his lips, "I've been wanting to see you so much today." He said softly, and as Draco looked back in those emerald eyes that held nothing but adoration in them, he wondered how his parents could possibly have lived with out this.

They really were cold hearted if they couldn't look each other in the eyes like this, if they'd never felt their hearts race at the thought of each other. Was life really worth living if this feeling had to be denied?

"Yes," Draco smiled back, reaching up around the back of Harry's neck and bringing him down closer, "I've wanted you too, so much, like I do everyday." He added with a sly grin, Harry flashing an equally sly grin as their lips touched for the hundredth time, lost once more in this feeling Draco wasn't allowed but had anyway.

Draco wasn't one for rules, if he wasn't allowed something, he'd make sure he'd get it, and this case, make sure he never lost it. He'd tell Harry about the marriage, but not right now. Right now he wanted to lose himself in this forbidden feeling, to hold the one he wasn't supposed to have, and to deal with the un-pleasantries of a forced marriage later.

He found Harry urging him up from his seat by his shoulders, and lips still locked together, found himself being led over to the bed, wrapping his arms around Harry's neck as they fell back onto the bed together. Harry's hands slipped up underneath Draco's tunic as Draco kept his own hands in Harry's hair, and could feel those familiar fingers brushing over his skin, his heart racing and fluttering as he moaned blissfully into his mouth.

It didn't matter how many times they did this, he could never get enough of Harry. His touch, his kisses, the look in his eyes, everything about him was perfect. Harry was perfect. He'd never give him up, not for anyone, not for anything, not even for the country. Harry was his, he always would be, and he'd always be Harry's. No one else in the world made him feel this way, heart and soul, he belonged to Harry Potter.

He didn't want to sit and tell him about the marriage now, not with Harry's hands doing wonderful things lower down his body, he just wanted Harry. He didn't know how he'd react, so he'd indulge him in one more night of ignorant bliss, care free of any worries, and just feel everything between them as they spent another night in their run of countless nights together, lost with the love of his life.

_Present Time_

There was nothing but silky smooth skin beneath his lips, touching and kissing and caressing everything they could find. Over shoulders, across the chest, up the neck of the perfect body laid out before him. Harry's heart was racing, as it was every time they did this. He could feel one hand on the small of his back, the other buried in his hair as he looked up and smiled lovingly down at the grey eyes looking up into his own. He moved against him, inside him, and couldn't help but lick across the adams apple that was presented to him when Draco's head fell back against the pillows, moaning loudly.

The heat was building rapidly inside him, and he brought one hand to Draco's hair as he leant down to kiss him, a heat-filled passionate kiss, not knowing when they would next be able to do such a thing, if someone was going to catch them, if it would be days before they could see each other again. His tongue licked across every inch of his mouth, devouring his very soul, Draco arching up to him. He was so in love, everything about Draco was perfect. Perfect body, perfect face, perfect eyes, and a perfect soul to go with it.

"Draco…" Harry sighed softly against those flawless lips, their bodies moving more intensely against one another, Draco writhing beneath him, grasping onto Harry's shoulders, breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

He was so beautiful, so mind bogglingly beautiful.

As Harry tried to hold out for as long as he could, wanting this to never end, as he always felt, he reached up to brush away the blond bangs of hair falling over Draco's eyes, and his tender smile was met by an equally lovingly smile. He couldn't keep himself off him, and he lowered his head to capture those perfect lips once again, just as the pleasure between them rose so great that-

"POTTER!"

Harry jumped in his bed and his eyes flew open, only to find that the bangs of hair he was currently brushing away and the lips he was currently leaning up to kiss were not Draco's, but…

"WHOA!"

He flinched back so violently he fell straight off the side of the bed bringing the bedcovers with him. He lay underneath them in darkness on the floor, breathing heavily, mortified and trying to erase the vivid image of leaning up to kiss _Professor Snape!_

He could hear Seamus in fits of laughter somewhere the other side of his bed, and as he sat there, his heart beat racing like mad, he touched his fingers to his lips. He'd been dreaming, dreaming of his Prince, but…but he'd never dreamt a dream like that before. His dreams with him were always the same, kissing him every night, but that dream was different. That had never happened before. This dream, it felt more like…like a memory.

As Harry stared into the darkness around him blankly, muffled voices of Snape telling Seamus to shut up, he suddenly glanced down to the fingers touching his lips and slowly removed them, looking at them in front of him.

A kiss…why did that seem so…

His eyes went wide as a flash of another part of his dream flew across his mind. At least…he thought it was part of his dream. A wedding. His Prince…Harry gasped. Draco! His name was _Draco_! And he was getting married, and he saw himself there too, but…what the hell was going on?

Harry held his head in his hands and screwed up his eyes, his mind fuzzy. New Years…someone kissed him on New Years, that's when the name Draco came into his mind. Harry blinked when he realised he was absently rubbing his scar, which had a dull ache seeping through it.

He also realised he had a rather different ache in another part of his body. An aftermath of that rather more erotic little dream then just a kiss he thought, and he could feel himself blush with embarrassment as he glanced down at the rather obvious lump by his groin underneath his trousers.

"I don't think your concerns over Potter groaning in his sleep were anything to do with pain Finnegan." Snape commented as he looked down at the now Harry-less space on the bed in the Hospital Wing, only having leant over in the first place to see exactly why he was groaning in his sleep after Seamus had called him worried something was happening to Harry and couldn't find Madame Pomfrey anywhere.

Seamus grinned up at his Professor as he turned around to him, and glanced across at Harry who now peered up over the side of the bed, blushing with embarrassment.

"I shall go and find Madame Promfrey and let her know he is awake." Snape continued, eyeing Harry with a raised eyebrow who peered up at him sheepishly, before turning and sweeping out the double doors with not even a glance over his shoulder, although a still slightly horrified look on his face.

When the doors gently shut after him, Seamus walked over to Harry, grinning, and sat back down on the wooden chair by his bedside. Harry continued to look sheepishly up at him, not really wanting to move from his little huddle on the floor before his little 'problem' faded away.

"So," Seamus began, "There was me worrying you were dying in your sleep with the way you were groaning and gripping the bed sheets, when all the time you were just having a wet dream."

"Seamus shut up." Harry cringed, trying to pretend he wasn't embarrassed although the colour of his face saying otherwise, and gathered the bedcovers, getting up and sitting back on the bed, back against the headboard, making sure that the bedcovers were bundled up a little more by his waist.

"Let me guess, your Prince right?" Seamus asked.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall, "Yeah."

"And let me take another guess," Seamus added, "He's called Draco right?"

For a moment Harry didn't move, then peered at him with one eye, "How did you know that?" he asked, before opening his other eye and actually looking around him, "And why am I in the hospital wing? What happened to me?"

Seamus leant forward on his chair and rested his arms on his knees, "Well, it might have something to do with the fact you stumbled around the Great Hall clutching your head in pain repeating the name "Draco" over and over again for a good five minutes before you finally passed out and have been lying here unconscious for 2 days."

Harry stared at him, his mouth slightly open, "Two days?" he finally gasped softly.

"Yep, it's the 2nd of January now, you've been here since New Year Eve." Seamus replied, but his tone was getting more serious, "You're having those dreams aren't you? The ones about your Prince guy?"

Harry looked away quickly, before smiling back up at him. Seamus knew he'd had these dreams, but he hadn't told him he'd been getting them every night since coming to Hogwarts. "You know I have them."

"Yeah but they're getting more frequent aren't they?"

Harry tried his best not to look sheepish, but he was a terrible liar, and lying to your best friend was not something that could be accomplished easily.

"I knew it!"

Or accomplished at all apparently.

"They're getting worse aren't they?" Seamus exclaimed, and Harry frowned. Seamus sounded like he was getting angry. "Why didn't you tell me Harry?"

"It's nothing to worry about Seamus." Harry said sternly.

"Nothing to worry about?" Seamus asked incredulously, "Harry…" Seamus sighed, "Look, I've known you for forever right?" Harry nodded, "When you told me about these one off dreams you had about this blond guy when we were 13, you didn't act any differently after you told me then you did before. I'm your best friend Harry, so don't think I haven't noticed how weird you've been acting since you got here. Something's changed. You're always staring into space and sighing dreamily at nothing, and I know it isn't anyone here making you act like that 'cause I would have easily found out about that." Harry glanced away, and Seamus sighed again. "Harry, you can't tell me this is nothing to worry about. Your scar has been bothering you, I know it has, and you've been acting so weird, and now _this_? I used to think it was funny to joke that you were dreaming of a past life, but Harry you've been unconscious for two days, of _course_ this is something to worry about! Do you remember what you did when they tried to remove you from Hogwarts to take you to hospital?"

Harry stared at him. They wanted to take him to hospital? He shook his head slowly.

"Every time they tried to take you through those front doors, you'd shout out NO over and over again, then mumble something about Draco and fall unconscious again. It's like you didn't want to leave the building. Five times they tried to get you out of here, and every time you'd thrash about refusing to leave, but fall unconscious again as soon as they took you back inside."

Harry looked down at his bed sheets, a worried frown in his eyes. He certainly didn't remember doing that, although he did agree with not wanting to leave. He didn't know why mind you, just that…he liked Hogwarts, it felt…sort of homely for him.

"And your scars been bothering you more hasn't it?" Seamus continued, more softly this time, "You were clutching at it in the Hall before you fainted."

Harry nodded sadly. He remembered his scar hurting like crazy in the Hall just before he had that weird wedding dream, or whatever it was. Of course there was that time by the lake too, he hadn't fallen unconscious then, but it had really hurt. Maybe that had been the start of whatever was happening to him. But his dreams of his Prince, of Draco, why would that be effected? Why can he suddenly place this name of Draco to his Prince? Why had his dream changed? What was this wedding thing about? Harry frowned annoyed and rubbed at his scar as it began hurting again.

Seamus stared at his hands in thought, "Why didn't you tell me Harry?" he asked softly, looking up and frowning at Harry rubbing his scar.

Harry said nothing for a moment, but removed his hand from his scar. "Nothing to say really." He shrugged, "Besides, sounds a bit crazy doesn't it?" he chuckled forcefully.

Seamus remained silent.

"You know, there've been all sorts of doctors in here while you were unconscious as they couldn't get you to the hospital, like…" Seamus paused, frowning sadly, "Psychiatrists."

Harry stared at him, "Why?"

Seamus shrugged, "I guess other teachers and students had noticed you acting a little weird lately, and of course your weird shouts of NO every time they tried to get you out of here, and they asked me if I'd notice anything, you know, being best friends and all."

"What did you say to them?" Harry asked cautiously.

"I didn't tell them anything," Seamus said honestly, "I wanted to talk to you first, because as you said, it does sound a little crazy, and the last thing I want is to see my best friend carted off to some mental place. That's why I was asking you about your dreams; I wanted to know everything first instead of just putting things together."

The two of them fell silent for a moment, Harry rubbing his left arm as a small gush of cold air left a small tingling sensation there.

"You're not going to tell them are you?" Harry asked quietly, glancing up at Seamus's blue eyes which were looking at him sadly.

Seamus didn't reply for a moment, and sighed. "What do you want me to do Harry?" he asked forlornly, "I've been sitting here for two days not knowing if you were going to wake up. I want to help with whatever's going on, but…" he sighed again, "I want to tell them, about your dreams, about your scar hurting, because they might be able to help, but…but I get the feeling they'll take you away, and I don't want that to happen, so…it's up to you. I can keep it all a secret if you really want me too."

Harry watched his best friend quietly for a moment. He only just noticed that there was a tray with a half eaten meal on the table next to his bed, and a couple of books too. Seamus must have been sitting here all this time, just waiting for him to wake up. He must have been really worried, and Harry felt awash with guilt all of a sudden. Of course he'd been worried, he'd collapsed in pain, apparently, then wouldn't wake up for two days except to scream out that he didn't want to leave, which must have been freaky enough on its own.

"I'm sorry Seamus," Harry said quietly, "but please don't tell them anything."

He felt guilty for saying it, but it was true, that everything that was happening to him would look a little crazy to anyone watching. But Harry knew he wasn't crazy, it was just…maybe he was just tired and that he just had a headache…that happened to be concentrated on his scar….

Well, whatever the reason, he didn't want to leave Hogwarts after he'd fought so hard to get a place here in the first place, that one student suddenly deciding to leave having been the perfect opportunity to try and get in again.

As soon as he'd heard of Hogwarts School of British History, he'd had an overwhelming urge to come and study here, to live here, and had been so desperately disappointed that he hadn't got a place that he had actually cried. Seamus had been a little freaked out at that, and for a matter of fact so had Harry, he still didn't know why he'd broken down in tears when he'd received the rejection letter. Luckily however, that soon changed. Having decided he was going to take a gap year when he didn't get in, only to get that call a few months later saying one student had left, and if he wanted, could apply, he was _so_ there!

Harry scratched at his scar again as Seamus looked back up at him, his sandy blond hair falling over his eyes as he nodded in acceptance of Harry's request.

There was nothing to tell, he'd be fine, whatever this was, it would go away. He could trust Seamus not to tell anyone, they were best friends after all, and at that moment, when Madame Pomfrey followed by some other doctors he hadn't seen before came through the double doors to the hospital wing, Harry smiled gently at Seamus, and Seamus smiled back. It may have been a smiled tinged with a little sadness, but the wink that followed afterward promised he wouldn't tell a soul.

* * *

Draco had been confused, worried, and angry, simultaneously, since Harry had fainted in the Great Hall. Confused, because he wondered what on earth had happened to Harry to make him fall unconscious like that, worried, because Harry _was_ unconscious and wasn't waking up, and angry…no, in fact, that make bloody _furious_ with the twins!

Since the incident at New Years Eve Draco hadn't said one word to the twins after his blazing argument with them. Well, it wasn't so much of an argument, but more of Draco yelling and swearing at them while they stood there quietly looking sheepish. Draco was angry at himself as well, for trusting any plan the twins had concocted. He should have known not to go through with that pan, not to take that potion. Just because it said on the label what it would do to ghosts didn't mean it would have any side effects on the person they touched!

Draco could of killed himself, for a second time, at his mind being so clouded with the happy thoughts of just kissing Harry again that he hadn't thought of what might happen to Harry himself. After all, Draco technically didn't exist! Just because he'd had a physical form for a minute didn't mean he was any more alive then he was now! It was just the potion, enhancing his spirit energy to give him a physical form, that was it. One way or another, Harry had kissed a ghost, he should have _known_ something would go wrong!

The only other words he'd said to the twins were earlier today, when he ordered them to watch over Harry while he wrote in his journals for a while, for he refused to leave Harry alone. The two red heads dared make a joke or pretend they didn't want to, just sat down at the end of Harry's bed and watch as their upset Prince disappeared through the stone floors.

When they come down to say Harry had woken up, not even a thank you escaped Draco's lips as he shot up out of Harry's old bedroom from his alive years and back up to the hospital wing, where Harry was talking with Seamus about doctors and his scar. He could do nothing but stand by Harry's beside, a wash of relief sweeping over him as Harry talked, alive and well. Draco had been so worried, insanely worried, and it figured that the one time he'd actually left Harry's bedside to go down to write in his journals that he decided to wake up.

He listened as the two of them talked, about his scar hurting, about his dreams, and Draco couldn't help a small smile at the fact Harry remembered his name was Draco. Ron had said that when reincarnates go into a familiar setting they might start to remember things from their previous life, maybe Harry was remembering Draco? Draco had brushed his hand down Harry's arm at that point, not that he could feel anything, but seeing Harry move his hand to rub at his arm where he'd touched him, turned Draco's smile into a grin.

The only thing that had Draco worried for a moment was Seamus wanting to tell the doctors about Harry's dreams and his scar. Ron had also warned that when reincarnates start to remember things, to other around them, they look rather crazy, but in the short amount of time Draco had known Seamus with Harry, he knew he could trust his word when Seamus winked at him. Harry would be fine, just as long as Seamus didn't tell anyone, nothing could go wrong. Harry would stay here, maybe remember more? Well, for as long as Draco could stay here anyway, Hermione's order for him to come back to Limbo and be Judged could happen at any time now he'd found Harry. But Draco had told himself not to think about that anymore, and to just enjoy every moment he had with him.

As Madame Pomfrey and the other doctors came into the room, Draco stepped back and sat at the foot of Harry's bed, watching as the doctors asked both Harry and Seamus questions, to which they both denied anything that would make Harry seem like he'd lost it.

Draco sighed happily; things would be back to normal soon. He'd had his kiss, he could remember what Harry felt like now, and now Harry was okay again too. Draco looked down at his fingers, at the wedding ring encrusted with gold and emerald, the ring that had bound him to Harry's sister. He smiled sadly, then absently touched his fingers to his neck, where once upon a time had been a thin chain of silver, where another ring had hung from, secretly, worn underneath his shirt and tunic against his skin. It had been just a normal ring, no fancy markings or jewels, just silver, a plain piece of silver. When he became a ghost, when he returned to earth as a wandering spirit, he wore everything that he died in, his clothes, his jewels, everything, except the one thing that mattered.

Out of all the things he could have lost when he'd drowned himself, why did it have to be his wedding ring to Harry?

To Be Continued…

**AN:** Link to the notes for this chapter on my profile.


	9. Chapter 8: Steady Dream Boyfriend

**Chapter 8: Steady Dream Boyfriend**

It was two weeks since the incident at New Years Eve, and school had started up once again. Not many students had left Hogwarts this year to return to their families, but those that had gone had now returned, and the busy old school was back up and running with classes, homework, and detentions.

It was the 16th of January, and Harry was enjoying a very lazy Monday afternoon class, Ancient Artefacts with Professor Lupin, Harry's (and most of the schools) favourite teacher. It was a lazy afternoon, because no matter what Professor Lupin was talking about, Harry wasn't paying the slightest bit attention. Not because he was bored, he enjoyed these lessons, but he was being distracted by another thought that took far more precedence over that of old pottery bowls hundreds of years old.

Harry, Seamus and Dean sat at the very back of the class, the sunlight streaming in through the high windows. Dean was leaning back in his chair, the end of his pen in his mouth chewing on it lightly listening to Professor Lupin as he read from a book in one hand and pointed to some photographs he'd pinned on the board behind him. Seamus sat hunched over in his chair scribbling down notes from what he was saying, but when he glanced up to see what his teacher was pointing at, noticed out of the corner of his eye what Harry was doing on the desk next to him.

Harry sat leaning his head in one hand, his elbow on the table, a dreamy look in his eyes doodling all over his note book which had exactly one sentence written in it. Seamus carefully peered over to see what he was doodling, and grinned, rolling his eyes.

"You know what, I have _really_ got to find you a boyfriend." He whispered, and Harry looked up at him, blinking.

"Why?"

Seamus nodded down at the notebook on Harry's desk, and Harry frowned curiously, following his lead and looking down.

Every student in the class had been busy taking down notes, heads down low studying hard….except Harry, who as he looked down, noticed the page of his notebook he had been writing on was filled with hearts and the word 'Draco' dotted around the page.

Harry's cheeks went pink with embarrassment and he raised his fist in a mock gesture for Seamus to shut the hell up with the snickering before someone noticed.

The one person who did notice though, was the intended name being written all over the paper, for Draco sat at the edge of Seamus's desk looking at Harry, and smiled as he tore out the piece of paper from his notebook, but instead of screwing it up and throwing it away, glanced at Seamus who was looking back down at his notes and folded the paper, tucking it inside his book.

Harry had been acting a lot like this since he woke up after New Years, day dreaming twice as much, love-struck little scribbles that a 1st year would normally be found doing, and generally giving Seamus a lot of material to tease him about. It seemed that Seamus had decided it was better to tease Harry then to worry over him, and as no other incidents like at the Lake or New Years had happened, the initial worry that something bad was happening to Harry slowly faded, and was apparently content to just tease him about his dreams of Draco.

Which, as Draco had now found out, were a lot more physical dreams then just a kiss.

A few days after Harry woke up, Draco and the twins were back on speaking terms, Draco finding it kind of…well, lonely, not to have them about. Not that he would ever, _ever_, even under pain of torture ever admit that, but sometimes during those long years of waiting for Harry, to see a happy smiling face having fun kind of cheered him up a bit inside, and not speaking to the only two people you could actually talk to made it very difficult to stay angry at them.

When Draco had calmed down and actually thought about it, he supposed that the twins were only trying to help him be with Harry after all, even for that one minute, and they wouldn't have known that that would have happened to Harry after he kissed him. Maybe that's what was on that torn off bit of the label on the bottom of the vial, a warning, for…whatever had actually happened.

Now they were talking again the twins had told Draco about what Harry nearly did when he woke up, running his fingers through (shudder) of all people Professor Snape's hair and nearly kissing him, yet whispering Draco's name just beforehand. Draco wanted to find out what exactly Harry had been dreaming of, so had listened to Seamus bug Harry over and over again for the details of his dream before Harry finally gave in and told him, blushing insanely the whole time.

What got Draco's interest, even more then Harry's erotic dream, was when he mentioned he dreamt about a wedding, where he could see himself looking up at Draco at the altar. He'd described it to Seamus the exact image that had really happened at that wedding. Draco vaguely remembered looking across at Harry at the wedding, still in the shadows in a doorway looking up at him with those sad green eyes. He'd thought happily that maybe that would be the first of many memories to start to resurface, but apparently not, because nothing else happened. No more pain filled scars, no more memories, just this constant sappy look on his face while he doodled Draco's name instead of paying attention in class.

When Seamus heard of the wedding dream he grinned and teased Harry that if he was that desperate to get married Professor Snape was always available, to which Harry punched him playfully on the arm thanking him so much for reminding him of nearly finding his lips on the lips of their most hated teacher.

And Professor Snape was very lucky not to have found Harry's lips on his, because if he did he would have one very pissed of ghost to deal with.

But, returning to Harry's erotic dreams, it had become painfully aware just how erotic this dream was, for when one had the opportunity to spend every night with someone who didn't know you were there…well, let's just say that no matter how much Draco would love to stay and 'watch' after so long, his Princely (and just plain shy and embarrassed) side would take over and he would leave the room in a daze, a small giddy smile on his lips at the moans that he left behind coming from his highly aroused Harry in his room.

Like the kissing dream, Harry's new erotic dream had replaced it every night, and every night Harry would wake up mid dream, panting and eyes dilated, and it was this point Draco would leave, his own heart beat racing at the thought of what Harry's hand trailing down his body to his nether regions would be doing to himself once he'd left the room.

Of course Harry had touched himself before, he was after all a 20 year old male, Draco would have found rather odd if he hadn't, and as before Draco would leave the room too, but this, this was different. This was Harry touching himself while thinking of Draco, this was a heat and passion that still survived for Draco in Harry's subconscious even after 900 years. This was Harry thinking naughty things of Draco, this was Harry finding that aged old practice of ecstasy while thinking of the one person who he'd ever loved, this was Harry moaning Draco's name into the night…

This was bloody maddening that Draco couldn't join in!

And why, _why_ in the name of all things holy did Draco leave every time?

Because it was the right and polite thing do to that's why.

Draco cursed his upbringing.

It made him feel like a pervert, wanting to stay, but when they were together all those years before, they'd done far more together then just watch each other in this state, but no matter how much Draco wanted to watch, wanted to see his Harry like this again, he just couldn't bring himself to stay and left the room every time! Harry's moans would haunt him through the day, watching his love as he laughed with his friends, knowing that deep inside him, he was thinking of him, was thinking of kissing him and touching him and everything that even made the ghost Draco shiver in thought.

As the school bell rang to indicate the end of class, Harry snapping out of his day dream and quickly asking Seamus if he could borrow his notes to copy, Draco wondered if he'd pluck up the courage to stay tonight and watch, because Harry's dream was bound to take place once again, and every time would leave Harry in such a state he always had to 'finish himself off' when he woke up.

An evil little smirk grew on his lips, knowing that his old Harry would have found it highly amusing that Draco was feeling so mischievous, and would have encouraged it thoroughly. To 'watch' him, while Draco would sit there, eyes wide and breathing shallow, watching the pleasure that thoughts of him would bring to his dark haired love…

Draco absently groaned at his own thoughts as he watched Harry leave the classroom. Being a ghost in this situation was very odd. Although he felt aroused, nothing was happening on his body. Probably because he technically didn't have a body for anything to happen to, but his soul still had feelings, which was probably why he felt like he wanted to pounce on Harry right there and then even if his own body was still exactly as it was when he died. His form was just a light representation of his soul, it couldn't change from what it was when it had reached Limbo. That sucked, putting it very mildly, because you had no way of taking care of this little feeling because there was nothing physical to take care of! You just had to put up with this aroused feeling until it slowly disappeared, and ever since he'd found Harry at Hogwarts again, it certainly took a hell of a lot longer to disappear!

Draco didn't realise he was slowly slipping through the desk as he smiled dreamily at nothing in particular, dropping all the way through the floor as his mind was on anything but paying attention.

Draco had of course followed Harry to his bedroom that night, as he did every night, and as the time hit somewhere around 11.30pm, Harry flopped onto his bed after working on his laptop, and lay there on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Draco sat down in the swivel chair where Harry had been sitting and watched him, trying not to smirk as he waited for him to fall asleep and that dream to begin again, Harry not feeling the very obvious attraction from his ghostly boyfriend.

Instead Harry just lay there, staring upwards to the rafters, and sighed. That had been the 3rd time Seamus had caught him doodling Draco's name. Harry didn't even realise he was doing it until Seamus would laugh and snap him out of his…well, very vivid day dreams.

Draco. His dream Prince. Harry had long since given up on trying to rationalize where this guy had come from, because to be honest, with a hot guy such as that, who cared? It felt so real, everything about him. Not just in the dreams, but even thinking about him during the day, it was like…like he knew him somehow, like in a moment he was going to turn a corner and see him, and hug him and say "How was your day?" like they'd been going out for years.

He couldn't explain it, but everything felt more like a memory then a dream. Somehow, somewhere deep inside him, it all made sense. How he didn't know, but all he knew was that he didn't want it to stop. It was more then just a physical attraction, there was something about him that just screamed love. He had no idea what that meant or where these feelings were coming from, but all he knew was that everything about his dream Prince felt so perfect.

Seamus was wrong, he didn't need a boyfriend. Just because he was 20 years old to which was probably expected to be going out and having one night stands with anything that had a pulse, just wasn't like him. He didn't want to go out and find someone, whether they were a one night stand or a steady boyfriend like Seamus and Dean were. When he wanted a relationship, he'd go out and find someone, but for now, he just wanted to be left alone.

With Draco.

With Prince Draco.

With Prince Draco who he'd dreamt about since he was born.

Did that make him a steady boyfriend anyway?

Harry pondered that peculiar thought for a moment. He had been dreaming of Draco for as long as he could remember, did that make them like…a couple?

Harry let out a short sharp laugh at his own thought and turned over on his side, staring at his chair by his desk. Unbeknown to him, that said steady dream boyfriend of 20 years blushed lightly as he realised that Harry's eye line was straight as his groin where he sat on the chair.

Harry stared at the grey covering on his chair and sighed once again, images of Draco flicking across his mind. It all started when he got kissed at New Years. Whoever it was hadn't approached him afterwards, and he couldn't exactly go around asking people "S'cuse me but did you kiss me before I had a fit and passed out in the Hall on New Years?"

As if he got weird enough looks already.

No one had questioned him about what had happened that night, though that didn't stop them from staring at him in the halls and whispering about the rumors of him seeing psychiatrists. Ok, so that part had been true, but with the help of Seamus Harry had managed to get the doctors off his back, and had so far proven them wrong that something was wrong with him because nothing else had happened to him these past two weeks.

Well, nothing except for the highly erotic dreams he'd been getting every night anyway.

He was very glad this wasn't a shared dormitory.

Every night since that kiss, without fail, he didn't dream about kissing Draco like he used to, but dreamt about doing so many other things together, things that Harry didn't even know that he knew about! He'd never had sex, he only knew what he read in those embarrassing education books and various websites that Seamus had deliberately pointed him in the direction of (Harry should really have learnt by now not to look at any websites Seamus suggested in the school computer rooms), but these dreams, they were just so vivid! He could feel everything, as if it was happening to him right then and there! Every touch, every kiss, even the heat soared through him, which was usually the thing that woke him up. By then of course he was so horny, and with these fresh images still teasing him in his mind, he couldn't help do the only thing that released that heat.

Such a beautiful blond, such care in his eyes, it wasn't just sex, it was love, and Harry felt so stupid and sentimental for thinking it, but it felt like he was so in love with him it was insane! He never wanted to wake up from those dreams, wanted to hold that body beneath him forever, to never let that look of heaven leave his Prince's face, to kiss and touch and lick and ooohhhh the noises he made…

"Who are you?" Harry asked the silent air quietly, his breathing slightly shallow at his thoughts, and Draco nearly jumped out the chair! Was he talking to him? He was staring straight at him!

Harry rolled over on his back again, resting the back of his hand across his forehead, "Draco…" he whispered, "Who are you?"

Draco, who's heart rate returned to normal when he realised he _wasn't_talking to him, rose from his chair and sat down at the edge of Harry's bed beside him. He just looked at him for a moment, the questioning look in those green eyes as to who it was he was actually dreaming about, before slowly reaching out his hand to brush it over Harry's on his forehead. As usual of course, his fingers brushed straight through Harry's, feeling nothing.

"I'm someone who desperately wants to be with you." Draco said sadly.

Whoever came up with the idea of ghosts being able to touch objects but not other living souls needed to rewrite the rules. He couldn't care less if he couldn't touch a chair anymore, the only thing he wanted to touch was Harry, and it was the one thing he couldn't. Dead souls cannot touch a living soul. Whether it was a rule or if it just simply wasn't possible, Draco didn't know, he just wished it wasn't so.

He had to concentrate to touch things, to sit on things and not fall through them, but no matter how much he concentrated, no matter how much he wished above all things he could feel Harry's skin on his own once again, nothing ever happened.

He wanted that vial again, that potion, just for another minute, just so he could curl up in those arms, in that warm bed, feel the love that he missed so desperately.

He knew he wouldn't feel it, he knew Harry wouldn't feel it, but he couldn't help himself. He leant over him, pausing just above his lips as Harry's eyes stared straight through him. With his kiss to Harry at New Years in his mind, remembering those warm lips and his arms around his waist, Draco closed his eyes and inched forward. Although he couldn't feel anything, he knew his lips were touching Harry's, and he stayed there, the New Years kiss making him remember what this should feel like.

When he opened his eyes again, he pulled back, for Harry was running his fingers over his lips. Just the back of one finger, slowly brushing it against his lips, before closing his eyes.

Draco's kisses always felt so good in his dreams. So soft yet so possessive, like if he ever stopped kissing him he'd disappear. The power, but the gentleness from his form was just…breathtaking. He was someone people don't mess with, except for Harry. Harry could do anything to him, could say anything to him, and Draco would just smile at him and let him do what he wanted. He was the only one to see Draco like that, splayed out on the bed before him, the usually so neat hair tousled and sticking up in random places, fingernails scraping down his back in the heat of the moment, arching up into him practically _begging_ him to go faster…

"Oh God…" Harry groaned, taking a deep shaking breath as his heart rate shot up a few notches, his tongue reaching out to lick across his finger, thinking of nothing but licking across Draco's chest beneath him.

Draco's eyes suddenly widened and he sat back up straight again.

Wait a minute…

…was Harry?…

"Ooohh…Draco who are you…" Harry said breathlessly, his other hand absently stroking down his neck and across his chest slowly.

Draco gulped.

He was wasn't he?

He was going to…you know…do that thing that made Draco leave the room.

Draco flinched at his own words. Do that thing? What was he, twelve years old?

Harry's hand continued to wander over his chest, eyes still closed and tongue still slowly licking over his finger, before he reached up underneath his shirt to his bare skin, and Draco did nothing but stare at his chest.

"I should go." He said to himself out loud, but made no attempt to get up or even avert his eyes.

He watched as Harry ever so slightly arched up into his own touch as his fingers brushed across one nipple, and Draco did anything but move, but in fact absently leaned further in, an audible gulp as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I should go now." He said again, his own eyes dilated as he watched this display before him, still making no attempt to move.

This was different. This wasn't Harry just helping off finishing his dream, this was Harry getting turned on from scratch, just by thinking about him. This was his Harry, what his old Harry would have done thinking about him, touching himself everywhere and-

"Ok, I _really_ need to go now!" Draco demanded at himself with a panicked voice, as Harry's hand finally reached its destination, rubbing against the fabric of his jeans.

As if he was being controlled by another being, Draco slowly managed to rise off the bed, his eyes staring wildly at Harry's busy hand as it hurriedly unzipped his jeans, soft moans escaping Harry's lips as visions of Draco kneeling in front of him filled his mind, licking his bottom lip sneakily as he peered up at him, before those perfect hands would…

And then his tongue would…

"Oh _God_ Draco!"

By this point Draco had somehow at least managed to turn around, if not leave the room. He was so embarrassed, _why_ was he so embarrassed? He'd seen Harry like this so many times-

"Oh yesss."

-but even though he was he just couldn't bring himself to leave. He shouldn't be here, he shouldn't, but for whatever reason, he just couldn't leave this time. He could feel his blush grow deeper and deeper at the moans and deep breaths coming from just a few feet behind him, and he very slowly, very sneakily, and very embarrassingly, snuck a quick look behind him. He quickly snapped back to staring at Harry's door. He could only get as far as seeing Harry's hand that was trailing over his lips now gripping the bed sheets before he stopped looking.

This was so stupid! Maybe you revert back to being a virgin if you don't do it for so long? He certainly felt like it, he'd never felt this embarrassed, even when he and Harry first got together he wasn't this damn shy!

Harry let out an even louder moan with a, "Augh that feels so good Draco…" and that was it.

Princely side taking over.

Even if it was a little late by now.

He found movement in his legs again and walked towards Harry's door. Maybe he'd go find the twins, they should be able to take his mind of his horny reincarnated boyfriend.

He didn't want to leave, but he couldn't make himself look either, all he could do was listen-

"Draco don't leave."

Draco froze with one step through the door.

W…what did he just say?

"Don't ever leave, oh _god_ you're hot, don't ever leave my dreams…oh, oh _yes_ Draco…"

Draco relaxed and had to chuckle at himself, if only to cover up the fact he was about to loose it and end up pouncing on Harry only to fall straight through him into the room below.

"Oh Harry," Draco said fondly, defiantly staring at the door in front of him, "You haven't changed a bit." And with that somehow forced himself to walk through the door, once again cursing himself when he got down the corridor that he had once again lost his chance at seeing Harry naked, just like when he tried to spy on him in the bathroom.

_Bugger_, Draco thought once again, before a different thought entered his mind, and his shoulders slumped, adding two new words to the end of that one with a lustful sigh;

"I wish."

_19th April 1098_

Apart from the obvious with Harry i.e. having sex with him, waking up with him was always one of the best things about their relationship. Draco had never woken up with anyone before, he'd always been alone in his giant four poster bed in his lonely room, so when he opened his eyes now, to find himself cocooned in Harry's warm arms, his giant four poster bed suddenly not seemingly quite so lonely, made a strange warmth rise from within his chest and wrap itself around his heart.

It didn't matter what position they ended up sleeping in, whether Draco was lying on his front with Harry's arm draped over him, or however they fell asleep, Draco would always find himself lying on his back slightly to one side when he woke up, Harry's arms wrapped tightly around him, his nose nuzzling his hair, legs intertwined, as close as they could get.

This morning was no exception. Draco woke up to the sound of twittering birds outside his window, and the soothing sound of Harry breathing beside him, his strong arms around him keeping him safe and warm as always.

Sometimes it scared him, how in love with him he was. Never in his life would he have thought he could feel like this. He'd gone from being constantly alone to having the love of his life thrown into his arms without so much as a friend in between to warm him up to even the _idea_ of falling in love. But then, Harry was everything all at once. A friend, a lover, someone he just couldn't live without anymore.

Draco grinned sleepily and yawned, stretching his legs slightly trying not to wake Harry in the process, being a little difficult to stretch when you had another pair of legs draped over your own.

He turned his head slightly more to the left and placed a sleepy kiss to Harry's collar bone, snuggling against him and closing his eyes again, relishing in the warmth around him.

Harry stirred, and Draco smiled against his skin, "Sorry, did I wake you up?"

Draco could feel Harry smiled against his hair, "Nope, I'm still asleep, can't you tell? I'm having this wonderful dream of holding the most perfect creature in the world in my arms."

Draco chuckled lightly, "You're being a bit sappy for this time of the morning aren't you?"

It was Harry's turn to stretch out in the long bed, Draco not moving from his curled up position beside him.

"Maybe," he smiled, "But then I've never heard you complain."

Draco raised his head and smiled back at him, placing a sweet, slow kiss to his lips, "True." He answered, before snuggling back against him. "It's Sunday today, so you don't have to go anywhere, and neither do I."

"Yeah, I like Sunday's," Harry said, placing a kiss to Draco's hair, "Can spend more time with you."

"I'm going horse riding later today, you could sneak out and meet me."

"What about Sirius? He never likes it when we meet up where we could get caught."

"He's my bodyguard not my advisor, he'll just have to put up with it. Besides," Draco said with a sly grin, looking back up at Harry's eyes, "You know he always looks away when we kiss, so it doesn't matter, he's used to us by now."

Harry smiled lovingly at him, stroking one finger down his cheek, before leaning over to steal another kiss from his lips, slowly licking his tongue across them, "I guess you're right."

Draco stretched again and manoeuvred himself so he was half laying on top of Harry, one hand resting by the pillow so he could play with strands of Harry's oak brown hair., "I love you Harry." Draco sighed contently, and he really did, more than anything else in the world, more than his parents, more than his home, more then the crown that would one day be his.

He could feel Harry stroke his hair softly, before another kiss was planted there, "I love you too."

Draco couldn't help the smile that reached his lips every time Harry said that. Everything was so perfect between them. He _was_ going to tell Harry about the wedding in the morning, but he didn't want to ruin this morning together. Maybe he'd tell him later today, or maybe tomorrow…maybe another week wouldn't matter right?

"Which is why we have to stop this."

Draco didn't move for a minute, but when his brows began to furrow, he opened his eyes, staring curiously at a statue ahead of him. He mentally shook his head, he must have misheard that. He slowly rose his head to meet Harry's eyes,

"What was that?"

Harry was looking anywhere but at Draco's eyes, and not that he wanted to admit it, but Draco felt his like his heart was dropping like a silver weight in his chest.

"What did you say Harry?" Draco asked again, his voice strangely calm for the panic beginning to swell inside him.

Harry finally looked back at him, his eyes sombre and strangely sad for a man who'd just said that he loved him, before rising up from lying on the bed, Draco moving off to one side, not once removing his eyes from Harry as he sat there, his knees to his chest.

"I said we have to stop this."

Draco's heart practically stopped in his chest, his breathing becoming heavy as he stared with even wider eyes at Harry as he stared at the bedcovers.

"I know about the wedding Draco," Harry said softly, still staring down, "I know you have to marry my sister, which is why no matter how much I love you, we can't be together anymore."

Draco couldn't find any words to speak. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. All he could do was stare in terror as Harry's words ripped through him. Couldn't be together? But…but he'd just said he loved him! He'd just said he was the most beautiful creature in the world! He loved him! Why couldn't they be together? What was wrong? What…why…

"B….but…" Draco managed to stutter, his vision becoming blurred with the threat of tears.

Harry finally looked over at him, his eyes bearing everything, the sadness, the fear, "I'm sorry Draco," he said, his voice straining, "But I'm leaving you."

And in that moment, Draco's happy perfect little world came crashing into oblivion.

To Be Continued…

AN: Notes for this chapter on the link on my profile. Guess I have some explaining to do in this one huh ;)


	10. Chapter 9: Sorry

**Chapter 9: Sorry**

"You're…_what_?"

Draco felt numb, the warmth of lying in Harry's arms now gone, leaving him cold and confused as he sat on the bed, unable to do anything but stare at Harry with wide, worried eyes as he slowly moved and sat at the edge of the bed, legs over the side, his back to Draco as he leant down to pick up his clothes from the floor.

"I'm leaving you." He repeated again, strangely calm, "Because I can't do this anymore, not now Holly's involved."

"How did you know about the wedding?" Draco asked incredulously, trying to find function in his body but still unable to move, watching as Harry slid his shirt over his shoulders, back still turned to him.

"My sister just found out that she was going to marry the Prince. I'm her brother; I was the first one she told. Came bounding into my room so excited saying she'd had a message from the Queen herself that she was to be wed to the Prince." He paused, staring down at the floor quietly, "It's why I came up here last night, to say that we can't do this anymore, but when I saw you sitting there…I just couldn't do it, I-"

"Well _don't_ do it!" Draco said desperately, "I don't understand, _why_ do you have to go? Why can't we be together?"

Harry said nothing, before leaning forward again to pick up his trousers from the floor, "She's my sister Draco. I can't do this to her, I can't cheat on her." He said, standing up and getting dressed. "It's wrong. Us. Not with her as well."

In a split moment of adrenaline as Harry stood up, Draco finally found movement again and practically leapt off his side of the bed, flinging his long white night shirt over his head that came down to just over his knees, and ran around the other side of the bed.

"What's _wrong_ with us? There is _nothing_ wrong with us!" he shouted straight to Harry's face, anger suppressing the panic for a moment as he stood right in front of him, though his inch of extra height apparently doing nothing to deter Harry from this conversation.

How _dare_ he say that they were wrong together, after all they'd been through? All the secret meetings, the hiding, anything and everything to keep their relationship a secret so they could be together. What the hell was he saying!

Harry finally looked up at him, and Draco could now see that his expression was not one that he'd have thought should be on the face of someone who was leaving their lover. Anger and determination should surely accompany this scene right?

So why did Harry look like he was about to cry?

Glistening green eyes looked into his own, before a small sad smile found its way to Harry's lips, and before Draco could do anything more, placed his hand behind Draco's head and leant forward, placing his lips to his own.

Like magic all anger melted away from him. Harry's kisses were heaven, every time, even now, even when Draco was confused and worried and angry, all he could do was melt into that kiss. He clung to the front of Harry's shirt, not knowing what to do or how to act, only knowing that right now, this instant, there was nothing but Harry. Harry's gentle lips on his own, his tongue leisurely exploring his mouth, making this kiss so deep and slow and so tender and romantic Draco felt like his knees were going to give way. Harry was the best kisser in the universe. Not that Draco had any prior experience to compare with, but if anyone said they could kiss better then this, well, they were lying.

He kissed him back with as much fervor as every time before, ignoring his mind screaming at him that he should be angry and yelling at him demanding what the heck he thought he was doing, but his body just wouldn't comply. His mind was angry, but his body just couldn't stop from doing what it always did when they were together like this. Harry's hands raked gently through his hair, leaving tingling sensations wherever his fingertips touched, trailing down the back of his neck as he licked across Draco's lips before delving back inside.

Now was not the time to be mewling pathetically into his kiss, but Draco couldn't stop the moans that escaped him, clinging to Harry so desperately like he'd disappear if he let go.

After what seemed like a life time of worry and passion rolled into one, Harry slowly pulled back. Draco found himself breathless, his mind wandering trying to find reality again, trying to cling to this hot and flushed feeling and trying not to remember the reason as to why he was slowly starting to feel so sad and apprehensive again.

"There is nothing wrong with _us_, but I can't do this behind my sisters back." Harry said forlornly, looking so lovingly yet so sadly back at Draco's own silently troubled eyes. Draco just stared back at him, a tight lump beginning to form in his throat. "There cannot be an 'us' when she is going to be your wife. I don't want to leave you, believe me, _I_ _don't_."

"Then don't then." Draco choked quietly, trying to swallow away the tears building, one hand holding a handful of his night shirt at the front. He couldn't be serious, this couldn't be happening, what was wrong? He still didn't understand. It may be his sister, but they were in love weren't they? Didn't that mean anything?

Draco stood there feeling like he was lost in a jungle of confusing un-answered questions, watching Harry watch him right back. For a moment neither of them moved, before Harry suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around Draco's chest and engulfed him in a warm, tight hug.

"This is the last thing I want to do. I love you." He said, nuzzling his hair sadly, "I love you so much I'm even tempted to hate my sister for making me do this, but she's my family. She didn't have a choice with the marriage either but she's happy with it, but she's marrying _my_ lover, someone to whom no one can ever know that I have."

"Don't you think I know that?" Draco sniffed, holding onto him so tightly, burying his face by Harry's neck. Draco didn't want to hear this, didn't want to hear any of this. Yes it was his sister, yes it would be weird for him, but he still didn't understand why they couldn't be together! He was still the Prince after all, if he wanted "alone" time he could just order Holly to leave him alone and then Harry could come up and see him. What was the problem? Why did he have to go? Why?

"I don't expect you to understand Draco; you don't have a family to look out for."

"You're right, I don't!" Draco said sharply, "They're too busy marrying me off to complete strangers! I've talked with _you_ more then I have with _both_ of them combined in my entire life! Why should I care about them? I'm just part of the 'business', born to do as I was told, do a job I don't want to do, spend my entire life with someone I don't love and then _die_!"

He could feel Harry tense at those words, could feel his arms tighten more around him, but Draco was getting angry now, and this time, Harry's closeness wasn't going to affect him.

He pulled back to look at him right in the eyes, a stern power on his features, "So let me get this straight. Out of a choice between me and your sister, you'd rather your sister be happy then me?"

For the first time ever Harry actually scowled right back at him, then sighed annoyed, pushing Draco out of his arms, "What do you want me to do Draco?" he asked just as sternly, "When she marries you I'm going to have to act like nothing ever happened between us. When she comes in to visit me telling me about her days with you, all I'll be able to do is nod and smile and pretend that it was never me who knew what it felt like to hold you before she did!" Harry yelled at him, voice getting louder as he spoke. Draco took a step back, eyes wide with shock. No one in his entire life had spoken to him like this, and he'd never even seen Harry angry before. "It'll be _her_ who gets to sleep beside you when it's _me_ who should be! It'll _her_ who'll spend every second of the day with you when above everything else in the world I wish _I_ could! _Everything_ that I want to do but I _can't_ and there is no way that I can change that!"

Draco opened his mouth to intervene but Harry continued on in his building rage, "You think I'd be _happy_ about letting her have you? Of course not! But it's not her fault so I am not going to blame her for this; this is _our_ fault for not being careful! Making it too obvious how many times you were coming down to the workshop!"

"Harry…" Draco tried again, stepping forward slightly, eyes concerned.

"I don't want to do this! Okay?" Harry shouted angrily, trying to get through to Draco what this was doing to him, "But I don't have any other option. It's going to be hard enough to lie to her, and the rest of my family I might add, when I'm _not_ with you, but if I was still _with_ you?" Harry stared at Draco, distraught and upset, "I can't, do that. Watching my sister happy and wealthy and heck, she's going to be the future Queen for goodness sake! Full out lying to her if I was still with you, knowing that while talking to her I would have been loving you somewhere nearby five minutes earlier, I can't do that to her! I can't keep that kind of lie to her!"

"Why not? I've been lying for you!" Draco finally managed to shout back, angry, but eyes still uneasy.

Harry wasn't the only one hiding this relationship, if he was going to play the lying game then Draco had every playing piece he did. At least Harry only had to hide it from his family; Draco had to hide it from the entire country! He'd be killed if he didn't marry, but the only person he had worth living for was Harry, the one person he _couldn't_ marry! If he didn't have Harry, he had no reason to wake up in the mornings.

"We've both been lying to our parents," Harry stated, "except the difference is that I actually _love_ mine, it doesn't mean anything to you if you lie to yours."

Draco grit his teeth angrily, "Yeah, well would you love _your_ parents if they'd have you killed if you didn't marry?" The anger on Harry's face disappeared in that split second of new information, but Draco paid no attention, "I don't have a choice in this marriage Harry! If I don't marry her they're going to _kill_ me! I _don't_ want to marry her, I _don't_ want to marry anyone but I _don't have a choice_!"

Harry stared blankly at him, Draco's face now flushed with anger, breathing heavy. "They'd have you killed?" Harry asked very quietly, "Why?"

"Because Prince's who don't marry are a waste of space that's why! I'm a waste of _life_ if I don't marry that's why! I don't have a choice but you _do_!" Draco's voice began to crack as that lump in his throat resurfaced, too angry and upset and wanting nothing more then to just crawl back under the bedcovers with Harry, "You can lie! That's all you have to do! _Just lie!_ It may feel bad to lie to your sister, to be with me behind her back, but at least you won't get killed! I _need_ you Harry! _Please_, don't leave!"

"Just to lie?" Harry repeated with wide eyes, before he sighed, "Ok, Draco, yes I wouldn't get killed if I didn't marry, but imagine if you were in my position. Imagine for just two seconds that you had a sister of your own, who you loved dearly, and she had to marry me, me having no choice even though I loved you with all my heart. How would you feel huh? How could you possibly choose? To drop one for the other?"

Draco turned away, "Oh please." He huffed, crossing his arms.

"It's like it's a war but I'm on both sides!" Harry exclaimed, hands in his hair in frustration, "I want _her_ to be happy, I want _you_ to be happy, but I can't have both of you, and what ever one I choose _I'm_ gonna be un-happy anyway! It's one or the other and my sister is connected to my parents, it's 3 against 1 and as pathetic as that is it's the only reason I can use to choose between you, because I love you so much and its tearing my heart out to do this but there's nothing else I can do!"

Draco remained silent. He stared miserably at the burnt wood in the fireplace, the twittering morning birds outside sounding so out of place in this scene.

"I want her to be happy but I know that she's entering a loveless marriage, but the person she's marrying is who _I_ want to spend everyday with but can't tell a soul why! I want _you_ to be happy but I don't know how to _make_ you happy, because the only way I can is to stay with you but it's the one thing I just can't do! I really don't expect you to understand but I don't know how I can explain so you _do_ understand!"

Draco grit his teeth, biting back the tears, and in one swift moment spun back around, growling under his breath as he grabbed onto Harry again and wrapped his arms around him, burying his sad and frustrated tear filled eyes on his shoulder, "Of course I'm not going to understand! You're the only person in my whole _life_ who's ever cared about me without being ordered to! I don't know what it feels like to have parents who care about you; I don't know what it feels like to have a family! I never will! You are the only thing I have worth holding on to! I don't want to lose you Harry, _please_!"

The large elaborate room was plunged into silence once again, the only sound being those innocent early birds again, twittering happily into the morning sunlight. Attentively Harry raised his arms and wrapped them around him, leaning his head against Draco's hair. They stayed like that together for a few minutes, Draco waiting desperately to hear him say that it was okay, that on second thoughts, they could still be together, that he was being silly and stupid and he'd apoligise, and then they'd go back to bed together and just never leave.

But when he said nothing, Draco held him closer.

"We can still do this Harry." He whispered, trying to coax those loving words out of Harry's mouth, "We can still be together." He gently ran his hand down his back and up again, eyes closed unable to stop his heart beating so happily every time they held each other like this. Even in this situation, Harry could still make him melt.

"I love you so much Harry." His voice was sleepy now, but his grip on Harry's clothes was a vice, "Please don't leave me. I don't think I can live without you anymore. I may have everything that I want, but you've shown me everything that I _need_. You _are_ everything I need Harry. I could lose anything else, live on the streets, I don't care, but you're the one thing I can't lose." Draco snuggled against his hair, placing a small loving kiss on his cheekbone before pressing his own cheek against his, "Please don't leave me." He whispered.

They stood there together in silence again, and Draco hoped, so desperately hoped, that this silence meant that Harry was rethinking what he was doing. He just couldn't understand Harry's way of thinking, but then, he never would. He'd never had a family to care about, to know what it was like to watch out for someone else, it was always everyone else looking out for him. Harry was the first, and would be the only person who he'd ever love, ever want to look after. He could give him everything, anything that he'd ever want, he'd love him till the end of time, what more could he do?

Draco blinked back those threatening tears, when he suddenly felt a tear that wasn't his own drip onto his cheek. Blinking curiously, he slowly pulled back, and at looking at Harry's face, tried to conceal the small in take of breath at the tears streaming down it.

"Harry?" Draco asked fearfully, but Harry didn't say anything.

Draco could do nothing but stare at him, a mixed look of shock and anguish, as Harry slowly stepped away out of his arms, and continued to step backwards a few paces, never breaking eye contact. His usually happy and cheeky green eyes were flooded with tears, and he stood there, silently shaking his head at Draco, the words trapped in his throat.

"I can't…" he finally choked out, looking at Draco through his tear blurred eyes, "I'm sorry…".

Draco had been trying so hard to keep his tears back, to keep his heart in one piece, but at the distressed look on Harry's face, and the reality that no matter what he said, Harry was going to leave, Draco couldn't keep it in anymore.

He watched Harry turn away, heading towards the secret door to their secret passageway, and let the tears fall free. One after the other, they dripped silently down his cheeks, his heart breaking, smashing into smaller pieces every time Harry took a step away from him.

It was over. Everything was over now. Eight months. Was that really all he was allowed? Just eight months in his whole life to be happy, was that really it? Was that all he could have…with Harry? It wasn't enough, it could never be enough. He loved him, Harry loved him back, why couldn't they be together?

Draco tried to bite his lip to stop it from trembling, as gentle sobs started to escape his lips, his vision more and more blurred with the constant onslaught of tears.

All because he was the Prince. If he were like any one else, they could have just disappeared together. No marriage, no anyone, just the two of them. But that was the problem wasn't it? He wasn't like everyone else, he was the future ruler of a country, someone who had to play by the rules, to do what was needed, to ignore ones own wants and needs and dedicate everything to the country he ran. Did that make him an evil person? That he didn't want to think about the country? That for once he wanted to think about himself? To think about his own happiness then everyone else's, just once? All he wanted was Harry, just Harry, nothing else.

Just Harry.

"Wait!" Draco sobbed, stepping forward, breathing erratic as Harry stopped a step away from the door, "I order you not to go!" he cried, desperately trying the one last option he had, even though he knew it wouldn't work, he had nothing left to try, "You can't disobey an order," he sobbed, "I order you not to leave me!"

Draco waited, agonizingly slowly for Harry's reply. _Please,_ he thought desperately, _stay…please stay…please…_

"You know that's an order I can't follow." Harry said, his voice strained with trying to keep his tears back, "And you know you can't tell anyone that I disobeyed _that_ order."

Draco's heart sank even further, so much it felt like it was weighting down his chest, making him feel like he wanted to sink to his knees and just cry until he had no more tears left to cry.

"Please!" he sobbed frantically again, and as Harry opened the door, desperately trying to ignore the sobbing pleas of his only love, Draco practically sprinted across the room in one swift moment of distressed energy, and latched onto Harry from behind.

"Please! Please please _please_ don't leave me!" Draco cried, tears streaming from his face onto Harry's shoulder and hair, desperately snuggling against him, wanting to feel everything that was Harry before he was torn away from him. "Please…" he begged, Harry stiff in his arms, his hand still on the open door war, "Harry please, please don't leave me…please don't leave me alone, _please_! I love you, please…" he cried, his never ending tears draining him of energy as he clung to him desperately, "Please…I don't want to be here with out you…please, I love you!"

Draco finally stood quietly, trembling like a leaf as he held onto Harry, so close and so tight, now knowing that if he let him go, he really would disappear.

Seconds, minutes passed, Draco didn't know how long, but it was the most torturous time of his life. Harry couldn't leave, he couldn't lose him, he just couldn't! He didn't want to marry, he didn't want to spend his whole life married to a girl who knew nothing about her husband being in love with her brother! He couldn't do it! He couldn't live like that, but if he still had Harry, even in secret, if he could still be with him, he knew he could get through it. He could live like that, because he knew that no matter how long the gap would be between being able to see him, he would know that there would at least be someone out there who loved him, someone who was waiting for him, someone who would smile that genuine smile when they saw him, just like that very first one Harry had smiled at him when they first met.

He didn't want to live in a world that Harry wasn't a part of. He didn't want to have to see him every day and know that no matter how close he was, they could never, _ever_, be together again. It would be torture, every time that he'd see him, he'd want to curl up on the floor and weep, cursing that life was so cruel and unbearable that he couldn't be with the one person that had ever meant anything to him.

"I'm sorry." Harry breathed, his voice hitched from swallowing back his tears, and stepped forward through the door, taking every ounce of his will to keep going, and Draco's arms fell limply to his sides.

He watched with deadened eyes as Harry disappeared down the swirling stone staircase, the door slowly falling and clicking shut. Draco stood there, staring at the stone door. It was hollowed stone, attached to a wooden door, so it was lighter and easier to open, but still looked as though it was part of the wall. His secret door, down to Harry's bedroom, a place where it would seem, he'd never be able to go again.

His mind was blank, the tears still falling, but not as distressed as before. Just slowly, one by one, dripping off his cheeks as he continued to stand there, staring, just staring, as his heart was ripped from his chest.

Eventually, slowly, as his tears stopped falling, he turned around. Like his body was being controlled by something else, he wandered absently back over to his bed, swaying slightly, eyes still dead to the world, and the words "I'm sorry" ringing repeatedly in his ears. He sat down at the edge of the bed, staring at the red rug on the floor, before he gently swung his legs up on the bed, and pulled the crumpled bed covers over him, right up to his chin. He lay there on his side, curled up into a ball, staring blankly at a pillow left askew in front of him where he had got up so fast.

He stared, and stared, and at some point, the thought that Harry wasn't coming back, finally seeped through into his blank mind. His eyes began to swell with tears once more, and he slowly reached out, grabbing that pillow, and wrapped his arms around it, holding it to his chest.

Harry was his life, and now his life was gone.

Once again the tears fell freely, and Draco buried his head in his pillow, letting his whole world die along with his heart.

---

_27th January 2006_

"I've found you a date!"

Immediately glaring eyes shot up from the book Draco was reading over Harry's shoulder, and glared dangerously at Seamus. Date? What date? For Harry? Harry doesn't go on dates. He doesn't like dates. No dates for Harry!

Harry looked up from his book as Seamus bounded over to him and plopped down in the red armchair opposite where he was sitting in the common room.

"What do you mean you've found me a date?" Harry asked his grinning best friend, the burning glare from one overly possessive ghost doing nothing to faze the Irish lad.

Seamus leant forward in his chair still grinning wildly, "Tonight. 7pm. Me and Dean, you and your date. We're all going on a double date down to Hogsmeade. Nothing special, just to the pub, just for a drink, but I know how you always mess up your dates as your so damned fussy so Dean and I are going to make sure you don't mess this one up!"

"Not likely!" Draco exclaimed, "Harry doesn't want to go out with anyone!"

Harry chuckled fondly and looked back down at his book to read, "I don't need a date Seamus, I told you, I don't want to be with anyone right now."

Draco smirked an 'I told you so' look down at Seamus.

Harry turned over a page in his book as he got to the last sentence, and continued reading on the next page, but glanced up when Seamus hadn't said anything, "What?" he inquired at the strange smirk on Seamus's lips.

"Have you even noticed what book it is you're reading?"

Harry blinked at him stupidly, "Weeell, yeah, I am the one reading it."

Seamus sniggered, "Oh good, then would you mind telling me why on earth you're reading Sleeping Beauty?" he laughed.

Harry stared at him for a moment, before the memory of yesterday lunch time came to his mind. It would seem the only reason he'd picked out this book, not really registering it was from the children's section of the local library in Hogsmeade at the time, was because it had a Prince in it, and flushed embarrassingly, quickly closing the book, remaining silent and glaring at Seamus as he continued to laugh at the fact that Harry really _did_ have his dream Prince on the brain 24/7, even if he didn't realise it.

Draco had to say it was a rather interesting book. He'd been reading it with Harry last night (before another of Harry's delicious little dreams) and during his lunch break today. He'd heard of the story, and the basic outline and how it ended from Fred and George. Apparently they'd seen the movie version when they were watching it on someone's computer with them. It was interesting because it made Draco wonder if people really believed that royal life was such a fairytale. Yeah okay witches and fairies didn't exist, and the story was for children, but still, Draco wondered if they'd still stick with their stories of such amazing and wonderful tales of Princes and Princesses if they ever published his own journals.

Some how he didn't think they would.

"Well that's just proof enough that you need a date," Seamus finally managed to say when his laughter subsided.

"Okay, fine." Harry sighed, his glare turning playful, not really wanting to go, but knowing that Seamus would get his way eventually so it was easier to give in now and save a lot of hassle.

He didn't feel the glare that was burning into the back of his skull from his ghostly Prince.

"Good, it's a date then, 7pm okay? Down by the front doors, and no excuses!" he winked at him, before pushing himself up from the chair and heading towards his room.

"Hey!" Harry called out to him, turning around in his armchair, "Are you going to tell me who you've set me up with then?"

Seamus paused before whacking himself on the forehead, "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, turning back round to face him, "It's Zach Smith."

"_Zach Smith_?" came the chorused exclamation, but no one heard Draco's outraged voice. "Are you insane?" Harry asked, wide eyed, "He is the one who was stalking me on the internet you do realise that?"

"Aw come on he's not that bad." Seamus argued, but Harry was hardly convinced. "I've talked to him you know, say's he sorry about all that and really does just want to chat, you know, just get to know you and such. He seems like a decent guy."

"Yeah right." Harry scoffed, turning away from Seamus and opening his book again.

"Hey, just give him a chance okay?" Seamus said from somewhere behind him, "There's nothing wrong with having a drink with the guy, and Dean and I will be there too, so what could happen?"

"Yeah yeah." Harry waved dismissively over his shoulder, "I'll go, but I'll blame you _entirely_ for anything that _does_ happen."

Harry didn't even have to look around to see if Seamus was grinning, he knew he was.

"Good." Seamus said proudly, "Oh, and one more thing, stop reading that book okay, it's really gay."

Harry paused in his reading and blinked, Seamus giggling behind him as Harry looked up and frowned at a bookcase by the wall, "I _am_ gay Seamus." He reminded him.

"Yeah I know, you're giving us all a bad name mate." he sniggered.

Harry tried to suppress his grin without much success, and rolled his eyes, looking back down at his book, "Go and shag Dean Seamus." He sighed dramatically.

"Okay!" Seamus exclaimed happily with no protest what-so-ever, and disappeared up the stairs, new aim for Dean's room rather then his own.

Draco watched him go, mouth slightly ajar in shock. Harry actually _agreed_ to go on a date? But…but!...Draco looked back down at him, still sitting there reading his book, apparently ignoring Seamus's request. Why did he do that? Why did he agree to go? Everything had been going great, all his dreams and little hints of love like his doodles of Draco's name and picking out this kind of book without realising it, he didn't want anyone to ruin that. He didn't want anyone to take Harry away from him! He'd only just found him!

Draco walked around in front of Harry and looked down at him frowning. Well, he supposed he didn't look too bothered, he was still engrossed in his little story, and it _was_ Zach Smith he was going with, so it was bad ground to start with before they'd even met properly. Draco smirked to himself, maybe it wouldn't be too bad. As Seamus had said, Harry had ruined all his dates in the past because he didn't want to get close to them, because he was subconsciously thinking of Draco, even though, once again, he never realised it.

Draco smiled at Harry lovingly, and sat down in the chair Seamus was in, immediately cursing however when a girl flopped down right through him with a large pile of books, flaking out in the chair, apparently having run from whereever she came from, and Draco sunk through the chair and back up through the floor. The girl struck up a conversation with Harry, and Draco sulked back over behind him, leaning down to look at the book to see how much he'd missed before Harry turned over the next page again.

A small thought entered his mind, that for that brief period of jealously, he wondered if that was how Harry had felt all those years ago, when they'd had that argument over him marrying his sister, and had left. It was probably a lot stronger then that, after all, Zach Smith was hardly a relative, and he didn't even know or like the guy, but something told him that Harry must have had a really hard time during their argument, and never really realised just how much. It was such a long time ago Draco didn't remember much about that morning, except the feeling of how heartbroken he was, but as he looked down at Harry talking and smiling, he absently smiled too.

That time back then without Harry was one of the worst periods of his life, but as he thought back to his secret wedding ring from Harry on the chain around his neck, now lost somewhere under the black lake, he knew that it turned out alright in the end.

Well, until Harry was killed of course.

Draco mentally shook his head and went back to reading Harry's book, wishing that in real life, all stories ended with such a fairytale happy ending.

To Be Continued…

AN: Notes in the usual place.


	11. Chapter 10: Narcissa’s Bodyguard

**AN:** Yes, i'm not dead! It's amazing! Believe it or not both this story and Openly Confused are not abandonded stories! They were just on hiatus for a little (long) while. I got out of writing and just couldn't write something that didn't feel like it wasn't written by an 8 year old, so I hope this chapter is still up to standard.

**Chapter 10: Narcissa's Bodyguard**

Harry sat at the bottom of his bed putting his shoes on, and for what seemed like the hundredth time, glanced up at his reflection in the long standing mirror opposite. He once again found himself frowning at the reflection, which of course frowned straight back at him.

'Why are you going on this date?' his reflection seemed to be asking him, and Harry got up from the bed, grabbed a black jacket hanging on the back of his swivel chair, and ignored his reflection.

It was coming up to 7pm, the time Seamus wanted him out by the front doors ready to go on this double date. Why, just _why_, did he agree to go? This is what his reflection was asking him every time he looked in the mirror. He was about to go on a date with Zacharias Smith. The stalker from the internet. The guy who did nothing but glare at him every time they passed in the corridor after Harry had turned him down. The guy who, apparently, couldn't take no for an answer, and now Seamus was setting him up with him, and Harry had agreed to go.

Vaguely wondering if he'd eaten something that had made him go loopy for the afternoon, Harry glanced back at his reflection once more and sighed. Well, like all of his other dates he'd had, he knew already he wouldn't get into it, and it's not like he'd made an effort with his appearance, at least done nothing special anyway. He was still going in jeans, and only put on a decent shirt at the last minute knowing he'd get stick from Seamus if he didn't make at least a _little_ bit of effort. He'd done nothing with his hair, in fact thinking about it, he hadn't even brushed it this morning. He looked over at his desk at the rarely used hair brush teetering dangerously over the edge, and shrugged. He didn't really care, hopefully the lack of effort would give Zach the hint, finally.

So, grabbing a crimson red scarf from the hook at the back of his door, not wanting to freeze to death out in the snow, and running a hand through his messy as ever hair, Harry walked out his room ready to face another disaster in his long line of disastrous dates.

Thank God Seamus and Dean were going too, he sure as hell wouldn't have gone anywhere with Zach on his own, he didn't trust him at all. Still, it would be amusing to watch Seamus get smashed and start blurting out random love songs on the pubs karaoke machine, as he done for the past 11 times they'd been down there. Seamus was one of those rarities where he actually sung better when drunk. The owner of the pub, Madame Rosetta, never minded, probably because she had a slight crush on the overly enthusiastic (yet very gay, as Dean liked to point out to her regularly) Irish boy.

As Harry headed down the many corridors, hands shoved in his jean pockets looking like he was about to face a death sentence rather then a date, Draco as usual walked by his side un-noticed. Even though it was very obvious that Harry had no interest with this date even though he'd agreed to go, didn't stop the jealous Draco who had his hands clenched into fists as he walked, with images of a burning Zach Smith screaming and flailing and begging for mercy flittering across his mind.

Not that Draco was bitter or anything.

Date. Draco spat at the word. Who did this Zach guy think he was? Did he think he was _worthy_ of Harry? Only Draco was worthy of Harry and the little bastard better remember that. Draco had sat smugly on Harry's bed leaning against the wall, watching Harry's total lack of enthusiasm for this date. Harry only had eyes for Draco, not that he realised that, and Draco knew that Harry wouldn't betray him. He hadn't so far, so he had no excuse to do so with someone he didn't even know or like that much to start with.

Still, although Harry was a sure case to be disinterested, Zach Smith certainly wasn't, and Draco didn't trust the blond for a minute. Draco even scoffed at that too. Blond. The guy didn't know the _meaning_ of the word blond, Draco practically _invented_ blond, and Zach Smith was a horrible blond! Like someone had liquefied sand and dyed it onto his messed up hair just to see what would happen. He wasn't blond, he was a sand pit. Draco was the only blond, pure and as silvery as the moon, the only blond worth having Harry's fingers run through, not this cretin standing leaning against Dean's car looking like the preverbal cat that was about to get all the cream he'd ever want.

Draco practically snarled.

But still he followed Harry as he walked up to his two friends and his date, standing out in the snow waiting for him. Draco was very glad those two friends were going with Harry, but just to be sure, Draco was going to tag along too. Besides, as he had always been hanging around waiting for Harry to arrive back at the castle, Draco had never been outside the castle walls since he was alive, and was now suddenly rather interested at how much Hogsmeade had changed since his time, now he didn't have to worry about missing Harry.

"Bloody hell took you long enough!" came Seamus's voice, who was bundled up in a huge fur collared coat, arms wrapped around himself, jumping up and down on one spot and shivering like mad, "I thought you might have chickened out!"

"What? I'm not late." Harry said, glancing at his watch, only to find it was 7.20pm Wow, he must have walked slower then he thought.

"Okay, the main man's arrived, let's get going." Dean said, standing with the drivers door open and obviously itching to get down to the pub.

"Just a sec, I want to introduce Harry to his date."

If it wasn't for the fact he didn't like his date in the first place, Harry would have laughed at Seamus's enthusiasm. Seamus was so hell bent on finding Harry a date, and the thought occurred to him that things must have really got desperate if he was hooking him up with his stalker.

_What the hell was I thinking?_

"I already know my date." he forcefully smiled in Zach's direction, who returned a slightly sneering smile that made Harry feel very uncomfortable, and made Draco growl again beside him.

"Yeah I know but you've got to do these things properly. Harry, this is Zach." Seamus said, placing his arm around Harry's shoulders and moving him forward, "And play nice Harry." He leaned and whispered in his ear.

"You should be saying that to him." Harry whispered back through clenched teeth, forcing another smile at Zach.

Draco stood to one side with his arms crossed, glaring daggers at Harry's so called date, who seemed to have a cool and calm aura about him that just pissed Draco off even more.

Zach slowly stood up straight and put his hand out for Harry to shake, "Hey." He smiled, an all too sweet smile this time.

Harry eyed his offered hand cautiously and glanced over at Seamus, who nodded encouragingly at him. Harry mentally sighed and took Zach's hand, "Hey." He said back.

They shook hands for a moment, the sharp icy wind whipping round them. Seamus seemed to immediately freeze to the spot, and Dean, noticing his boyfriends distress, walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist and held him closely.

After a while it seemed Zach wasn't going to remove his hand from this hand shake, and Harry looked up at him to see a rather sneaky looking smirk on his face, and quickly retracted his hand, standing there staring at him looking and feeling rather odd.

"Look erm…" Zach began, not removing his eyes from Harry, "I'm sorry about the whole, internet thing, I didn't mean to freak you out or anything."

Harry eyed him cautiously again, "Yeah," he said slowly, "It did get kind of annoying."

Zach smiled, what seemed like a genuine smile now, "Yeah, I'm sorry, I wanna make it up to you." He placed one hand behind his head in a nervous gesture, "I know Finnigan is calling this a date, but it doesn't have to be, we can just chat and stuff, I just want get to know you, not scare you off." He chuckled light heartedly.

"Right." Harry eventually replied, still not convinced, but on seeing the guy laughing and slightly embarrassed, maybe Harry could at least make it through the evening without anything disastrous happening.

Draco on the other hand, was now being held back by Fred and George, who had only come outside to see what was going on, only to find Draco trying to kick Zach in the balls with of course no effect whatsoever, having fallen through him _and_ through the car behind him.

"_I'll kill him_! If he lays one hand on Harry I swear I'll pick up a knife and _stab_ him with it!" Draco was exclaiming as he tried with every effort to get out of Fred and George's clasp.

"Now now Draco," George said with mock authority, "Can't have you breaking the golden rule now can we? No showing ourselves to human kind, which includes any signs of floating objects when we pick them up or knifes murderously stabbing towards people."

"What do you two care?" Draco spat at them "You break that rule all the time!"

George gasped dramatically, "We've _never_ gone on a murderous stabbing spree!"

"_The floating thing you idiots_!"

"Ah yes, but we are discreet in our floating things," Fred said, "making sure little Ronnikins or the all the glorious Hermione doesn't find out."

"Yes but…but he's- if that _idiot_…if he so much as – ALL RIGHT LET ME GO! I won't do anything!"

Fred and George released Draco at the same time, causing their Prince to fall forward slightly and stumble. He quickly regained his composure though and spun around to face them, glaring at them dangerously as he straightened his shirt out.

"Alright people, everyone in before Seamus turns into icicle." Dean announced, practically shoving Seamus through the opened door on the passenger side.

Casting one furtive glance at Zach again, Harry followed his friends and got into the back of the car, Zach following him and getting in the other side. As Dean tried to start his car, a few random swear words escaping him as his little car tried to will itself into life; Harry glanced back at the castle, frowning slightly. Now he was here, Zach sitting next to him, he felt guilty. He had that strange feeling he was cheating on someone again, which was just stupid. But as the car finally rumbled into life, and headed off down the small hill towards the open gates, Harry pushed down that guilty feeling and decided, for once, just to try and enjoy a night out.

Once again though, Harry didn't realize that he had in fact been staring directly at Draco out the window of the car, to whom was now doing the one thing he hated doing as a ghost: float.

Floating was one thing Draco had never got the hang of. He could do it, sure, but he just didn't like to. It felt, un-natural, to which Fred and George had always told him was a ridiculous thing for a _ghost_ to feel. Still, dead or alive, Draco could not run as fast as a car, but he could keep up he floated up off the ground after them. So for the first time in a very long time, Draco was now following along behind the car, floating a good six foot of the ground, trying to keep as close as possible so he could keep an eye on Zach through the back window to make sure he didn't try and put his arm around Harry, or anything else.

"Hey Princey," the twins chorused as they came up beside him, Draco flatly ignoring them and glaring at Zach as he shuffled a little in his seat making him sit slightly closer to Harry.

"What do you want?" Draco growled.

"Oh, well, nothing important," Fred said casually, now turning over on his back, zooming alongside Draco as he hurried after his reincarnated boyfriend, "it's just that, I'm guessing you haven't tried to leave the castle grounds before have you?"

_Don't you date get any closer,_ Draco growled to himself, glaring daggers at the back of Zach's head, "What?" he said distractingly.

"Well, you know those gates that they're about to go through?" George continued, and at that moment as the car past the iron gates, a bright white wall of light shot up in front of Draco, who only had a split second to register it had appeared before crashing straight into it.

The twins slowly floated back down to the ground, having already known to stop, and were trying to hold back their laughter as Draco sat on the floor, cringing and holding his head in his hands where he had literally gone head first into the wall.

"Well, you see, we can't leave the castle grounds, we found that out many many years ago." George finally finished.

Draco said nothing for a moment, just sat on the ground, holding his head in pain. Pain. That was strange, he shouldn't feel pain as a ghost. Carefully he opened one eye, to see the wall had now gone, and watched as the car disappeared through the forest towards Hogsmeade.

"_Why_ didn't you tell me we couldn't leave? And why the _hell_ did that hurt so much!" he snarled angrily.

"You never asked." Fred replied, grinning, and Draco fought the urge get up and strangle him.

Removing one tentative hand from his head slowly, he reached out in front of him, only the have that wall spring into life again as he rested his palm against it, blocking him from leaving, the white light emanating brightly.

"Maybe it hurt cos it's a spiritual wall, us being sprits and all I s'pose we can feel it." George answered Draco's second question.

"_What_ the _bloody hell_ was _that_?"

In another bright light Ron suddenly appeared above them, white wings fluttering in panic as he looked around to see what had caused so many alarm signals to go off in his brain. As he took in the scene before him, his brothers grinning up at him, and Draco sitting on the floor rubbing his head, he sighed.

"You're not trying to leave again are you?" Ron directed his question towards the twins.

"Don't look at us…" Fred said.

"…t'was his royal highness this time." George finished.

Draco finally got up off the ground, the throbbing in his head finally subsiding, and looked up at his Guiding Angel. He was about to ask why Ron hadn't told him either that he couldn't leave, when he noticed what he was wearing. Ron wasn't wearing the usual long white tunics that he always wore, but was in fact wearing…

"Ron," Draco inquired curiously, "Why are you wearing a tuxedo?"

Ron seemed to pause for a moment, before his freckled face blushed intently and he crossed his arms and looked away, "None of your business." He said, but of course the bait had now been set for Fred and George.

"Yeah why are you all dressed up little bro?"

"Applying for a new job?"

"Can't handle his highness huh?"

"Wouldn't blame you."

"You trying to impress the lady angels eh? Eh?"

Ron blushed a little deeper at that, and Fred and George grinned at each other. Bingo.

"Ah so it _is_ a girl!"

"Anyone we know?"

"Yeah come on Ron give us some gossip here."

"Aww our little Ronnikins is growing up."

"She pretty?"

"You don't stand a chance mate."

"SHUT UP!" Ron finally yelled at them, "I do so stand a chance! If you must know you've just interrupted me on a date with Hermi-" Ron quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. He wasn't going to say who it was he was with!

The grins on the twins faces widened, the sparkle in their eyes growing, "You're dating an _Arch Angel_?" they chorused, before exploding into fits of laughter.

Ron just floated there, pouting, "Shut up." He said quietly, his brothers laughter annoying him to no end, "Just because you're jealous that you can't get a girl down here."

"Ah who needs girls when you've got a castle full of unsuspecting victims to keep you entertained." Fred chuckled, before picturing his little brother with the almighty Hermione and bursting into tearful laugher again.

Draco smirked up at his Angel and crossed his arms, "Wow, she must be desperate." He chided, and Ron glared at him.

"If you're just to mock me I'm going back to my date thank you," he said sternly, and turned away.

"Wait!" Draco called out, before Ron whined and turned back around.

"Oh what? I'm on a date didn't you hear me!"

"Well as you're here, I just…"Draco began, looking back towards the now empty road Harry and his friends had disappeared down, "I was just wondering, why does this Harry look slightly different to my old one? I'm not complaining, at all, I'm just curious. Like his hair colour?"

Ron blinked at him, "I never told you?"

Draco stared at him flatly, "There were a lot of things you didn't tell me."

"Hey I was new at this remember!" Ron defended himself, "Can't a guy make a few mistakes?"

"Not after 900 years you ingrain!"

"Okay, okay, fine!" Ron gave in angrily, "But if Hermione yells at me when I get back I'm gonna tell her it was _your_ fault and to get a move on getting you back to Limbo to be judged!"

* * *

Draco sat on Harry's bed staring at his mirror, reflecting nothing but the bed and wall and not himself, and thinking about Ron's explanation. He'd explained that reincarnated souls are always sent down to fill the body of an un-born baby, still in the womb of its mother. Although the memories of the soul would alter the baby's physical appearance at that early stage, it would not be exactly as it used to. After all, the baby had its own parents, its own life, and would still contain attributes of its birth parents. The child _could_ look the same as it's previous self, but he could also look completely different, maybe having only one thing that was still the same, like the same eye colour. All it took was one difference to be a different person, one different DNA strand, so when his Harry had finally appeared, detention in Professor Snape's office, Draco had been so glad that Harry looked pretty much the same.

There were a few differences, like hair colour for one thing. His previous Harry had a rich oak brown hair that shone slightly lighter in the sun. His new Harry had hair as black as the night sky, but Draco kind of liked that colour. It made those same bright green eyes of his look even brighter. He was also slightly taller. Not by much, maybe half an inch, but he was taller, and you wouldn't really be able to tell that much if they stood next to each other. He'd discovered this when he'd kissed Harry on New Years, he didn't have to lean down a little like he used to. He couldn't tell before then.

That was about it, as far as he could see anyway. Of course his new Harry had been raised differently too, so some aspects of his personality were different. Nothing Draco didn't like though. This Harry was slightly shyer, not as cheeky as his previous Harry was, but that was ok. He still had that same dazzling smile that would make Draco melt through the floor.

Literally, being a ghost and all.

But the main thing he was glad had stayed the same, were his eyes. Harry's eyes had always been Draco's favourite physical feature about him. He could spend hours just staring into those emeralds, they were just so mesmerizing, another part of him that made him melt through the floor.

However there was one very big difference that affected everyone around the new reincarnated soul. Ron had told him that the Reincarnation Division (and this was only what he'd heard as that wasn't his department), had what they called a 'Time Turner.' A small, hand held item that was giving to the soul in Limbo before sending it back down to earth.

The one thing that _had_ to remain the same was the name of the soul. A soul could take a different body, but it could never be known as anything else then what it was originally called. The Time Turner changes the memories of everyone who would know about this new baby, changing history. If the baby had to be called Harry Potter, then of course, the parents surnames would have to be Potter, and the Time Turner would change that right back to the very first member of that family, changing every memory, history record, everything. And, of course, the parents would have to name the baby Harry, so the Time Turner would plant the name in their heads, changing the name they may have originally called their child.

It was totally confusing as far as Draco was concerned, and apparently, Ron as well. Ron had said he was always glad he was never put in the Rec Dev to work, he wouldn't have been able to handle that pressure of changing history. One little mess up and BLIP, an entire soul could be lost in history somewhere.

Draco was very glad that the name had to stay the same, it would have been weird to call Harry anything else, especially if he had looked different as well, it wouldn't have been 'him'.

Still, least that explained the slight differences; now all he had to do was wait for Harry to come back home. Draco was fidgety sitting on Harry's bed, he wanted to be with him down in Hogsmeade, wanted to watch Smith like a hawk. He looked at the clock on Harry's desk and sighed. He'd been down there for three hours now. Getting up Draco turned to look out the window, leaning his elbows against the stone sill, watching the iron gates for that one little car to come back. Harry had been down to Hogsmeade before of course, but never on a date, and Draco was…jealous, and…upset. It would be alright if he could be there, but just waiting here, not knowing what was going on, he hated it.

He wanted to be the one going on a date with Harry to Hodsmeade, and the thought that that would never happen just made him feel even worse.

* * *

Harry had been correct in the fact that Seamus would get drunk and get on the Karaoke machine again, but the difference was that this time, Dean had joined him. The guy had got so fed up of Madame Rosetta eyeing his boyfriend up and down that he decided to get just as drunk and start singing too, for at least that way Seamus was in arms reach.

Harry, considering Zach was sitting next to him at the bar, was having a _really_ good time! He was pretty drunk himself, and cheering and clapping along with everyone else to Seamus and Dean's drunk rendition of "Only Women Bleed". Zach was laughing along too, nursing only his second beer and definitely nowhere near as drunk as Harry. Harry had lost count on how many beers he'd had, but right now he didn't care, as long as his glass was full and the world was a happy shining place, then everything was fine as far as he was concerned.

"Harry, your glass is empty." Zach grinned at him, as Harry wondered why no matter how much he tipped his glass back nothing was coming out of it, "Fancy another?"

"Well ashuallly I sink-" Harry slurred badly, before loosing his balance on his bar stool as he tried to turn back to the bar and slipped off, Zach quickly catching him.

"You alright there?" He chuckled at him, placing him back on the stool and holding his shoulders to steady him.

Harry blinked un-coordinately to try and get Zach's face in focus, before he suddenly leant forward, Zach having to quickly move his head backwards so they wouldn't collide. Harry stayed like that and stared at him intently. "You know…" he said slowly, swaying slightly, "…you have purwty eyes, but dey should be grey, not blue."

Zach blinked at him before laughing, "Well thank you, but I have to say no one has ever said I should have grey eyes over blue." He said as he pushed him back again so he sat properly on his stool.

"Well I sink…I….I'm…not sure what I sink…" Harry frowned for a moment at himself, before he smiled happily, "Can I have another drink?"

Zach smiled back at him, "Sure."

"You know you're a lot nicer den I sought you'd be," Harry continued as Zach ordered another beer, "You keep on buying me drinks." Harry grinned.

Zach grinned at him through the corner of his eyes as he paid Madame Rosetta, before Seamus and Dean had apparently finished their song and the pub erupted with clapping again, and Harry spun back around on his stool to clap too.

This was quite handy for Zach, because now Harry was looking away, and Madame Rosetta had resumed watching Seamus, he had no one to watch him as he placed a small white pill into Harry's glass of beer, watching it dissolve for a moment, before smirking to himself and picking it up.

"Here ya go." He said, Harry happily taking the glass, "To Friendship." He said, holding up his own glass, watching as Harry grinned at him as they clinked their glasses, before gulping down his beer.

Zach sipped his much more slowly, watching Harry over the top of his glass. After all, it wasn't himself that he needed to be drunk and helpless tonight.

_**19th July 1098**_

Draco stared at himself in the full-length mirror, standing on a small, slightly raised wooden platform in his tailor room. His mother was busy pacing up and down at one side of the room, giving orders to maid's as she thought of them, flowers, decorations, jewelers, anything and everything being planned for her sons wedding.

Other random servants darted in and out of the room, gathering up the discarded cloth on the floor, and bringing in garments that James Potter, busy working in the Potter's workshop making wedding attire, was making per request.

Holly was of course no longer helping her father. Soon to be wife to the Prince and future Queen of England, she could not be seen doing mundane tasks. She was off with her mother and some other royal chamber maids and teachers, being shown the proper way to act like a Queen, to teach her what is expected, and like Draco was currently doing, being fitted for her Wedding garments.

Draco sighed for what felt like the billionth time, and continued staring back at the reflection of his own eyes, for fear that he moved to look else where, he'd see the reflection of the young man currently kneeling on the floor beside him, placing pins around the hem of the base of his left trouser leg, measuring the length for them to be brought in slightly, his bright green eyes narrowed in concentration.

Draco's eyes softened in sadness for a moment. The image of Harry walking away down their secret passageway, back turned, ending their relationship; it was an image that wouldn't leave Draco's mind, no matter how much he tried to think of something else. _Anything_ else.

Days had turned into weeks, weeks into months, and still Draco felt just as heart broken as that one dreadful morning three months ago. He had spent his days moping around the castle, ignoring his mother's demands of coming to see his father once again, ignoring her questions of what he wanted for decorations and music for his wedding. He didn't know why she was asking him, whatever he chose she'd have her own way in the end anyway. Besides, he only wanted one thing at his wedding; and not only was it not possible to have that one thing, it would seem that one thing wouldn't be there even if it _could_ come.

Harry was everywhere, at least it seemed that way. Where ever he went in the castle, Harry was there. Walking out of rooms, walking down corridors, passing him in the courtyard outside, and every time Draco's heart would leap out of his throat, an automatic smile reaching his lips just wanting to see those green eyes flicker up to meet his, but every time, he was ignored. Every time Harry would quickly change direction and walk another way, or if there was no other way but past him, would not even look up, only keep his head bowed just like everyone else as he walked past, fixing his eyes on the floor.

Every time Harry ignored him, another part of Draco's heart crumbled away.

He kept on hoping that it was a bad dream, or if it wasn't a dream, just hoped that Harry would come to his senses, would come back to him. Sure Draco would yell and scream at him for doing this to him in the first place, but he knew as soon as that was out of his system he'd just pounce on him, dragging him over to the bed and just snuggling up beside him, just wanting to be assured that he was there and not going away again.

Unfortunately for Draco, Harry hadn't changed his mind, and that bed remained with just one person in it. Draco couldn't remember the last night he'd had without crying himself to sleep. He'd never realised how lonely he was before Harry came along, never realised just how many days he spent alone, watching the world go by. His large, overly elaborate room, full of so many expensive items and rich tapestries, felt so solitary now. He'd sit in his bed, looking around him, and there'd be no sound. It was so deadly quiet, no sneaky footsteps coming up their secret passageway, no warm laugh floating through the air as Harry crawled over to him on the bed.

No whispered words of a forbidden love as they willed away the nights together in each other's arms.

Nothing.

He never realised how big his bed was until Harry wasn't there to share it with him. Everything felt so wrong. He was being forced into a marriage he didn't want, and being forced away from the one person he loved. The one person who, seen as no one but Sirius knew about their secret relationship, Draco couldn't convince his mother that he didn't want him around, for he didn't have an excuse. It was painful. While James made the clothing, Harry had been assigned to fit them, so throughout the whole of today, Draco had simply stood in front of a mirror while the one person he wanted to hold walked around him, measuring, sewing, making sure that the outfit he was to wear on his dreaded wedding day was perfect.

Draco felt so skittish. Every accidental touch, every time their eyes accidentally met in the mirror's reflection, just every time Harry would get close, Draco felt like curling up into a ball on the floor and crying, just wishing the world would go away.

They'd been at this all day, trying different clothes, his mother saying how handsome he looked, but then what else had he expected? For his mother, he was nothing but a doll, to dress as she wished and to do as she wished, to have no say in the matter of what he actually wanted. It was all for appearances, that's all he was ever for.

Harry was the only one to have ever seen him otherwise.

He sighed again and stared dolefully back at his reflection. He looked tired, his eyes dull, and no smile. He noticed out the corner of his eye Sirius standing by the doorway, as always eyes fixed upon him, and sighed yet again. Life was back to how it used to be.

And he hated it.

Suddenly, Draco felt a hand curl its way around his inner thigh, and he froze. His eyes darted to his mother, who was staring out the window waving her hand to random servants behind her as she dictated an invitation list, before he slowly glanced downwards at his reflection.

Harry was still kneeling beside him, but he had stopped working. He had his eyes closed, leaning his head against Draco's left leg, as his arm had snaked its way around his leg, his hand resting on Draco's thigh.

Draco stood there, eyes wide, heart beating rapidly in his chest. What the did he think he was doing? He watched almost breathlessly as Harry seemed to nuzzle his leg, but his expression was not one of contentment, he looked…sad. He watched as Harry placed a gentle kiss on the fabric covering his leg, before slowly opening those sad emerald eyes and staring straight up at Draco's reflection, locking gazes with him.

Draco tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his thought as he stared down at Harry's reflection. The warmth radiating from Harry's hand so close to that 'particular' area, and his stare that bore straight through his soul, wasn't helping much as his body started to react to that feeling, to that touch, to Harry.

His breathing quickened as he stared back into those eyes. He couldn't look away, Harry's eyes were like fire, like green flames dancing. Draco swore he could feel his legs start to tremble, that stirring feeling in his stomach whenever they were together making him what sink to the floor, but this time, instead of curling into a ball, to tackle Harry and kiss him like there was no tomorrow.

Harry had said he still loved him when he left, that he was only leaving because he couldn't do this to this sister, so maybe…maybe Harry was finding Draco harder to resist then he thought? He still loved him, was just choosing not to be with him for his family right?

A very evil and very sneaky thought suddenly entered Draco's mind.

"So Draco…" came Narcissa's voice, and immediately Harry's hands moved as if he was measuring the size of Draco's thigh, then comparing it to another trouser leg on the floor.

Narcissa walked up to the other side of Draco and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "What do you think of this outfit then? I think it looks rather dashing on you and would suit you just fine for the wedding, don't you agree?" she asked with a toss of her head to the other servants in the room, and there was a low murmuring of "Yes your Majesty" that echoed around the room.

Draco lingered on his reflection for a moment, before glancing down at Harry. He still knelt silently, this time with his head down and gaze averted, but he still had his little finger curled around the bottom of Draco's trouser leg.

A part of Draco wanted to melt and forgive him for everything all at once, but another part of him, a much more sneaky "I'm out for revenge, how dare you leave the Prince" part of him, smirked and had a different idea.

"No mother, I don't like it, it doesn't flatter my _legs_ at all." He said casually, glancing a quick furtive look down at Harry, who seemed to swallow rather to hard at the emphasis on 'legs'. "I wish something else to be made."

Narcissa sighed, "Oh very well. Boy, up on your feet, go tell your father we need more wedding attire for your Prince."

The Boy, or Harry as he was mostly referred to, quickly jumped up and bowed, "Yes Your Majesty." before hastily running out of the room.

As Narcissa decided to start on a rant about how pernickety Draco was being, Draco simply smirked to himself. The more clothes he didn't like, the more clothes he would have to try, which meant getting undressed more in front of Harry, and having him nearby so he could casually and innocently flirt with him, knowing he can't do anything and knowing it would be driving him mad.

The part of him that wanted to melt earlier was trying to tell Draco that what he thinking of doing was actually very cruel, and that Harry had only left to do the right thing for his family, but sneaky Draco was in full mode now, and had no intention of making life for Harry Potter easy until he gave in and realised how much he missed him.

Draco had had enough of crying, he wanted his Harry back, and if teasing and playing with him was the only way, then that is exactly what would have to be done.

Little did Draco know though, that even that gentle caress of Draco's leg, and the stare into each other's eyes, and in fact the general three months of being forced to ignore him, to try and fall out of love with him, already had Harry missing him more then he could stand.

* * *

Four days later, and James Potter was one very busy bee.

With his son helping the Prince, and his daughter about to be wed to said Prince, James had to hire some extra help in his workshop to meet the demands of that said very _demanding_ Prince. Every single outfit that was made for him Draco turned away, "It's not the right colour", "This doesn't go with my hair," "Are you _trying_ to make me look hideous?" James wondered if he was losing his touch as a tailor, but his wife Lilly had assured him every outfit he'd made was lovely, so just had to continue on with his work.

Four days later, and Draco was in a surprisingly good mood.

Every outfit he disregarded, had Harry being able to touch him more, having to help him dress in the overly extravagant garments, and not making it easy for him either. Casually brushing his hand over Harry's chest as he dressed in a shirt, having Harry stand directly in front of him to lace it up, leaning in to him, a small playful smirk on his lips as Harry tried to look anywhere but at him. Eyes, chest, neck, anywhere!

Four days later, and Harry was a nervous wreck.

Draco's flirting had not gone un-noticed on Harry, Draco was sure of it. It had got to the stage that Harry's hands were actually shaking when he dressed him. Draco had even gone so far as pretending to lose his footing when trying on another pair of trousers, and had fallen backwards in Harry's arms, fluttering his eyelids as he looked up at him with a small, "I'm glad you're here to save me" line, his trousers round his ankles. Being so close Draco could practically see the want in Harry's eyes, and could definitely see his adams apple move as he gulped in nervousness.

It wouldn't be long now, he was sure of it!

Considering Harry still hadn't given in to him after a week, Draco was still in high spirits. Harry was definitely cracking under the pressure, his hands were so shaky as he did up the clasp on the cloak around Draco's neck today, as Draco subtly licked his lips.

Slowly.

Any day now he'd lose it and come running, begging for Draco to take him back, apologising over and over again saying what an idiot he was and that he loved him and wanted to spend forever with him. Draco glanced around quickly for anyone as he walked down a corridor, before giggling quietly to himself. He was going to have Harry back, somehow, he would have him back.

He loved him so much, and Harry still loved him, so as soon as he got the whole "protecting brother" thing out his system, he'd come back again.

"I can't Sirius."

Draco paused at the hushed whisper, coming from the door he'd just passed. Turning around, he listened again, wondering if he'd misheard, because it sounded like Harry.

"Why not?"

"I've told you why!"

It _was_ Harry! And Sirius! What where they doing in a room together? And why wasn't Sirius following Draco around? His post was to protect him, what was he doing with Harry? Slowly and quietly Draco walked up to the door, which was open slightly, and peered in through the slit of light. He saw Harry leaning back against a table, he couldn't see Sirius though.

"I understand your reason Harry, I do, but I see what this is doing to His Highness, he needs you."

"I wish you'd make up your mind Sirius." Draco heard Harry snap, "Last time you spoke to me you asked me to leave him, now you're asking me to get back together with him. You don't even like us together!"

"You're right, I don't. It's wrong. His Highness must marry and produce an heir for the royal family to continue. If he doesn't this country will be left open and I _cannot_ let that happen!"

"Then why are you asking me to go back to him?" Harry yelled, the whispering apparently forgotten.

"Because it is obvious that he loves you. Surely you can see that?"

"Of course I can see that, and I still love him, but as I recall when you asked me to leave him last time I didn't, so why should I do what you want now?"

There was a pause in the conversation, and Draco drew closer to the door, his breathing slow as he listened. He heard Sirius sigh.

"Because I am more of a father to him then his real one ever was. I watched him grow from a baby to the man he is now, and throughout that whole time I have only ever seen one thing make him smile. And like any father who puts their child first, even though I must ensure that His Highness marries and produces an heir, I put his happiness next." He paused again, "His happiness is with you. His smile is yours." He said softly, and Draco saw Harry lower his head slightly, staring at the floor.

Draco didn't know what to think when listening to this. So Sirius had asked Harry to break up with him before? Heh, well that didn't surprise him, even Harry had just said that Sirius doesn't like them together, but now he wants them back together again? Why would Sirius want that? He didn't understand.

"I realise the situation you are in Harry. You wish your sister the very best even though you know she is entering into an unloving marriage, and the very thought of you being with His Highness, _happy_, while _she_ eventually realises the misery she will face for the rest of her life, is unbearable for you, however…" Sirius paused again, before walking into Draco's line of sight as he stood in front of Harry. He placed one hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry looked up at him.

"If you do this, if you return to His Highness, I promise you that I will take care of your sister. I will not let her be troubled, I will help her in anyway that I can, I swear it. And I know that His Highness would never mistreat her, and in fact, with his record of rule breaking, can guarantee she would never turn out like Her Majesty."

Harry smiled weakly at that.

Sirius placed his other hand on Harry's other shoulder, "Your sister is about to lead a very different life Harry, but that doesn't mean you have to disregard your own because of it. I asked you to leave His Highness last time before I realised what an impact you were having on him, before I realised that, despite my wishes against this, you are in fact the best thing that has possibly ever happened to him."

Draco felt his heart flutter at that, and couldn't help the smile reach his lips. Was he really that more obviously happy when with Harry? Harry must have had the same thought, because he was smiling too. Sirius smiled back at him, and stepped to one side, sitting on the table next to him.

"I realise this would be a very carefully guarded secret, that it is a big risk to both yourself and to His Highness, and in fact to me for even to daring to say any of this, but I strongly believe that this is the best for both His Highness and for you."

Harry remained silent as Sirius watched him for a moment.

"What do you feel you should do now?" Sirius asked.

"That I should go back to my sister and forget about Draco, to make sure her happiness comes first." Harry replied instantly, "but…" he paused, frowning sadly, "…I want to go back to Draco and never leave him again too."

Sirius smiled gently and got up off the table, turning to Harry again, "Well I cannot decide for you which one you should follow, but I will say this. I would rather see two people happy then one, and if you and His Highness are separated, it will not be a happy life for either of you. I know you feel guilty for wanting to be with His Highness when he will soon be your sisters, but neither your sister nor His Highness had any part in the decision to be wed, so there is nothing that you should be feeling guilty about, it is all completely out of your, and their, hands. You can still be with His Highness and love and protect your sister, but if you chose your sister alone, I'm afraid I will have to make sure you do not come anywhere near His Highness again, for I know it would be too unbearable for him. You would have to leave the castle."

Harry placed his head in his hands and seemed to scrunch his hair in frustration, "I can't do this, I can't decide! I don't know what to do! I can't cheat on my sister, but I don't want to leave, I don't want to not be with Draco! I love him, I love both of them, I don't know what to do!"

Draco watched Harry, mid conflict with himself on the right thing to do, and found that he finally understood why Harry had left. The poor guy was tearing himself apart trying to decide between his love and his family, something Draco had never had to face, seeing he would have chosen Harry over _anyone_ in his family. But seeing him like this, knowing he should do the right thing but knowing if he did it would leave him miserable for the rest of his life, Draco felt….guilty. Guilty that he had been playing with him over the last few days, guilty that he thought Harry didn't care when he'd left, that it had been a simple decision for him that just left Draco in pieces, while he continued happily with his own life.

Draco wanted more then ever to hold him again then. To tell him that everything was going to be okay, that he forgave him, and that he hoped he could forgive him for teasing him. Why couldn't life just be simple?

Suddenly there was a small crash from somewhere to his right, and he quickly snapped his head round to see if there was anyone down the corridor. Seeing no one but the faint pinks and purples filtrating through the windows from the sunset outside, Draco went back to listening.

Sirius was staring at the confused Harry with a very strange expression on his face. A worried, yet slightly nervous expression, and as if he'd finally come to the conclusion of something, he sat back down next to Harry.

"Let me tell you something, something that you must swear you will never let anyone, especially His Highness, find out."

Harry slowly looked up at him curiously, and Draco, now knowing he wasn't supposed to hear this, snuck a little closer to the door, pushing it ever _ever_ so slightly to see more into the room.

"I swear." Harry nodded.

Sirius seemed to take a deep breath, as if to calm his nerves, before speaking. "I know, for a fact, that His Highness will turn into an unloving, uncaring soul if you leave because…" he paused again, looking at his hands in his lap, "Because I have seen this happen to Her Majesty when…when I left her."

Draco couldn't hold in the gasp that immediately leapt forward from him, and prayed they hadn't heard him. Luckily it seemed his gasp was covered up by Harry's own one.

"You were with Her Majesty?" Harry exclaimed, and Sirius nodded gravely.

"Before His Highness was born I was…_Narcissa's_, bodyguard." He said her name slowly, a precious word as he had not been allowed to call her that since her coronation. "She was a Countess at the time, having just been chosen to be wed to His Majesty and now living in the castle. She was a bright, intelligent young woman, with a smile that made any man who crossed her path wither at her beauty. We had already been together, in secret, for three years prior." Sirius paused and looked up at the ceiling, closing his eyes in memory as a small smile found his lips, "Oh I loved her dearly, as did she love me, but when it came to making the decision to stay with her in secret after the marriage…" Sirius stopped and lowered his head, looking down to the stone floor. "I chose what was right, over love, and I left her."

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered, although he didn't really know what he was apologising for.

Sirius half smiled and continued with his story, "I thought she would be okay, she was now the Queen of England after all, had everything she could want, riches and servants, power and the highest rank of respect one could have, next to the King of course. But as the years went by and His Highness was born, I never once saw her smile again. She treated me just like any other servant, as she should have done, and assigned me to look after His Highness, to protect him. I could do nothing but watch as her bright spark slowly faded, her intelligence withering away now having no use for it, and her smile, her beautiful smile, was never shown to anyone again."

Draco was in total shock! Sirius? And…and his mother? But that was…he…she…that was impossible! His mother was an obsessive, controlling demon as far as Draco was concerned, had she really changed to that from someone who sounded so lovely and warm?

The air was silent again between Harry and Sirius, Harry giving him some time to think over what he had just admitted.

"Do you still love her?" he eventually asked softly.

Sirius smiled at him, "I love her more then anything else in this world, but knowing I can never be with her again, all I can do is make sure her son is happy. It is the only atonement I can do for abandoning her when she needed me the most. I see so much of her smile in His Highness, but again, it is only a smile that appears when he is with you." He said softly, Harry looking sadly down at the floor, "I ask you, not to make the same mistake I did, for once you have gone down that path, you can never turn back."

Harry looked back up at him, eyes thoughtful and sad, before nodding slowly, "I think I'm going to have to really think about this." He said, and Sirius nodded.

"Well, I've said what I wanted to say to you now, so I'll go and find His Highness." he said, getting up of the table, "It has been many years since I have left his side, but it was for his cause."

Harry looked up at him and nodded silently, but as Sirius turned to leave, Harry said one last thing.

"Thank you." He said softly, "And err, I promise I won't tell anyone about your story."

Sirius nodded curtly at him, before both of them, and Draco outside who was poised ready to leg it when he saw Sirius coming towards the door, heard a thunderous crash from the corridor, and someone shouting, "RAIDERS! RAIDERS ARE IN THE CASTLE!"

Just as Draco looked down the corridor to see five men dressed in shabby clothing with swords in their hands, looking around before settling their darkened eyes on Draco, Sirius came bursting out of the room halfway through his sentence of "I MUST FIND HIS HIGH-" before spotting Draco crouched on the ground by the door.

A split second of knowing passed between them, before the cry of "GET THE PRINCE!" drove Sirius to raise the sword from his hilt and pick up Draco by the scruff of his neck with the other. Without a word he shoved him into the room with Harry still inside it, and slammed the door shut, stanced and ready to protect his Prince outside the door.

As Draco stumbled backwards, the ominous sound of clashing swords outside the room, he fell back into Harry's arms, who quickly took him to the back of the room away from the door. He found himself pulled to the floor behind a stone alcove, practically sitting in Harry's lap as he held him from behind.

No words were spoken as the fight continued outside the door, but Draco could hear soldiers outside the window below running into the castle, while more swords and the swish of bows and arrows flooded the grounds outside.

This really was an attack. They were after him. Draco could feel Harry's arms tense around him, holding him as close as possible, and despite the danger he was in, Draco felt…safe. He absently leaned back, resting his head on Harry's left shoulder, and closed his eyes, trying to will away the shouts from outside and instead listen to Harry's breathing and his heart beat.

It was calming, being with Harry like this, he always felt calm and safe in Harry's arms. Even though he hadn't held him like this in over three months, being here now felt like they'd never stopped. He didn't know how long they stayed liked that, but Draco didn't care, as long as it never ended.

"Draco?" Draco turned at Harry's gentle whisper, as Harry seemed to nuzzle Draco's hair with his cheek, "I…I'm…sorry." he stuttered, but before Draco could ask what he was sorry about, there was a loud thump coming from the door, as if someone had slumped against it, before Sirius's voice rang out.

"Your Highness! It is safe, I'm opening the door now!"

Indeed, the shouts coming from outside the window had stopped as well, seemed the soldiers had been victorious. Both boys reluctantly rose from the floor and each others arms, and walked into the centre of the room, watching as the door to the room opened and Sirius hobbled inside.

"Sirius," Draco gasped softly as he got closer to his bodyguard, "You're injured!"

"It's nothing." Sirius insisted, waving it off, tenderly sitting down on the table again "Are you alright Your Highness?"

"Yes I'm fine!" Draco snapped, looking worrying at the gash on his right thigh and shoulder, both bleeding profusely, "But you're not! Go and get help immediately!" He demanded.

Sirius smiled weakly, "Yes Your Highness."

"Got 'cha!"

Three pairs of eyes fell upon the raider standing in the doorway, his bow pulled back taught. His eyes were fierce as he glared at Draco with a satisfied smirk, but before Sirius could hobble forward off the table to protect his Prince, the bow was released. Within a split second the arrow rushed passed Sirius's head, bull's eye straight for Draco, who had frozen to the spot. When the cry of pain echoed down the corridors and Sirius spun round, he found it wasn't Draco who had cried out, but Harry. Harry clung to Draco tightly, arms wrapped around him, while Draco stared with wide, shocked eyes at the tail end of the arrow, which was the only thing he could see of it as it had buried itself in Harry's back.

Before the raider could even comprehend that he'd missed, Sirius leapt forward despite his injuries, and slashed his sword across the invaders chest, dead before he even hit the ground, lying amongst the others that Sirius had killed. He could hear running footsteps coming down the corridors as the soldiers finally figured out where the raiders had gone, even though it was too late.

"Draco…" Harry weakly strained, eyes screwed up tight against the pain.

"Why did you do that?" Draco asked softly, still in shock as he stared at the arrow, his brain frozen as well as his body, unable to think of anything but the image of that arrow flying towards him, and Harry jumping in front of him and wrapping him in his arms to protect him.

He could feel Harry smile feebly against his neck, "I'm…sorry." He said, and Draco could feel his arms begin to loosen around him, and although panic bubbled in his chest, he could still find no movement.

"For what?" he asked breathlessly, as Harry began to slowly slip to the floor.

"For leaving you…" he whispered in his ear, before dropping to the floor, just as the soldiers and nurse maids came running into the room.

To Be Continued…

AN: Don't worry, you know Harry doesn't die here (wink).


	12. Chapter 11: Soul Share

**Chapter 11: Soul Share**

_**27th January 2006**_

"H-hey…Seamus? I sink I'm gonna go…go back…" Harry slurred, as he, Seamus, Dean and Zach all sat in a red cushion booth, giving someone else a chance to try their drunken singing talents on the karaoke machine.

Harry didn't drink as much as his two friends did, so knew that when he was starting to feel sick, it was wise sign to stop drinking. He didn't like throwing up, and could never drink himself to the point where he was throwing up in a gutter, to which he had helped Seamus on quite a few occasions before. So now, sitting looking at his half empty glass, and knowing that if he took one more sip it was probably going to end up all over Zach, now was the time to leave.

"Awwww, ya goin' al—already?" Seamus hiccupped, as Dean kept on trying to kiss Seamus's neck, only constantly missing and instead looking like he was trying to eat the collar of his shirt.

"Yeah, I don't feel too good," Harry groaned quietly, discovering that turning to look at Zach to apologise caused the whole world to spin, and he closed his eyes and rested his head in his arms on the table for a moment.

"You alright there?" Zach asked, patting his back lightly, a small muffled hmmm reaching his ears.

He felt sick, but there was something else as well. Well, he wasn't really sure if it was "something else" or just side effects of being drunk. He felt sick, had a splitting headache, felt that if he stood up he'd fall back to the floor, but there was something else. He felt really…twitchy, he wanted to keep his hands occupied, so picked his glasses up from the table where Zach had removed them earlier (in fact, when did he do that?) and just fiddled with them, keeping his head resting in his other arm.

"I think I better take you home," Zach said softly, but Seamus caught the glint in his eyes, and grinned.

"Heeeeeeeey Zachy boy, don't you be tak'n adva-advan—tuuge…don't be knocking our Harry up."

Despite feeling ill, Harry elapsed into a momentary giggling fit, setting Seamus and Dean off as well, before raising his head from his arms and grinning at them, "Hey, I may be drunk, but even _I_ know I can't get pregnant." He said, before a rather overwhelming feeling of nausea swept over him and he half collapsed on Zach beside him.

"Okay, _definitely_ time to be taking you home." Zach said, no one noticing that he hadn't even acknowledged Seamus's remark.

"Okay!" Seamus exclaimed, "But we're not going yet, are we?" he asked, turning to Dean, but Zach was already hauling Harry out of his seat, only catching the end sentence of "-y sweet little Leprechaun." from Dean.

The two love birds seemed to be too far drunk and too far into each others company to notice that Harry and Zach had left the table, Zach half dragging the helpless Harry over to the bar, sitting him down on a stool.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, getting the un-focused Harry to look at him, "Stay." He pointed at him, as Harry blinked un-co-ordinately and watched as Zach went back over to Dean. He sat on his stool, swaying slightly, and the next thing he knew Zach was back in front of him, now talking to Madame Rosetta behind the bar, jangling a set of keys in his hands.

"I've taken Dean's car keys, I did ask him but I don't think he's going to remember. Besides neither of them are in any condition to drive back."

"Hmph," Madame Rosetta agreed, looking over at Dean cuddling up to her cutey pie in the corner, "Don't worry I've been in this business a long time, I'll get them a taxi when they decide to start throwing up on the pavement."

Zach flashed her a sweet smile, "Thanks, and err, send them another drink each would you?" he said, leaving money on the bar.

She looked at the cash before looking back up at him, "Goodness, you are the generous young man, you've been buying all three of them drinks all night, it's no wonder they're so pissed." She half complimented, half complained, although still took the money and started pouring a fresh round of beers.

"Hey, what are friends for?" Zach smiled, but as he grabbed Harry round the waist, hauling him off the stool and taking him out the pub doors, his smile turned into a smirk.

Generosity was something that did not come natural to Zach, but if it helped him get what he wanted, he supposed buying drinks and getting people drunk and out the way would have to be done.

He glanced down at Harry, who was leaning heavily on him as they walked through the snow over to Dean's car. "How are you feeling?" he asked casually.

Harry didn't reply for a moment, he was too busy trying to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. His head was spinning, and his fingers were still twitchy. His vision was blurred, but he couldn't figure out if he had his glasses on or not to know if that was something he should be worried about.

"I'll be better when I get back to my room." He said slowly, "I'm sorry for ruining everysing…"

Zach smirked, not believing how easy this was going, "Hmph, oh don't worry, you haven't ruined a thing."

As they got to Dean's car, Zach placing Harry in the backseat, who promptly lay down on it, he almost felt like congratulating himself.

Generosity may not come easy, but as Harry was going to find out, getting what he wanted was something Zach was _very_ good at.

* * *

You would think, that after 906 years of waiting for your one and only love to come back, that waiting would be a simple task. Draco was, after all, an expert in waiting. It's all he had done, throughout all those long, boring and lonely 906 years, was wait.

So why did it feel like this one evening was lasting forever!

Fred and George had made a game out of Draco pacing in Harry's room. They were calling it as a tennis match, that depending on which end of the room Draco paused at to think about…whatever he was thinking about, they'd give points. They had just called "Deuce!", when the bedroom door suddenly swung open, and Harry staggered in with a very worryingly_sober_ Zach following in behind him.

Zach closed the door slowly, not taking his eyes off Harry as he stumbled forward and fell face first onto his bed. Draco had paused in his pacing at the foot of Harry's bed, took one look at Harry, one look at Zach, and saw him look down to the door knob and turn the modern metal lock, locking the door securely.

"Well, looks like I've finally got you." Zach said quietly to himself, unaware of Draco standing only a few feet away, a mixed look of fear, confusion and anger on his face.

What the hell was going on? What was he doing? The twins just looked at each worryingly, before looking back at Draco, who in turned watched as Zach slipped his jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, watching as Harry groaned and turned over, laying on his back, blinking uncoordinatedly up at the ceiling, his face frowning.

"How are you feeling now?" Zach asked, a glint in his eyes as he walked over to the bed.

Draco glared at him worryingly, "Hey!" he warned, but of course Zach not hearing anything.

"I feel…weird." Harry replied breathlessly. He was having trouble keeping his eyes open, and he was pretty sure now that he wasn't wearing his glasses, so why was everything so extra blurry? His limbs felt heavy, and he lay his right arm over his eyes, taking in a deep, shaky breath. He felt the bed dip as Zach sat down at the edge, but his arm felt too heavy to move it away. "I feel…hot." He breathed. He felt sick too, but there was this other, warming feeling in the pit of his stomach. His skin felt like it was on fire, like it was super sensitive to everything, and he could feel the denim of his jeans and the cotton of his shirt like they weighed 10 times more than they did. He wanted…he liked the feeling, the soft caresses of his clothes as he attempt to move felt overwhelming, and he found himself flopping back to the bed, his heart racing at everything that touched his skin.

"That's good," he heard Zach say, before he felt his arm being removed from over his eyes, and it falling lifelessly beside his head. He couldn't move, everything that touched his skin made him shiver with excitement. His breathing became more erratic, and he frowned even more, his eyes still closed. What was wrong with him? It felt like he was getting turned on just from wearing clothes!

Suddenly, he felt fingers brushing over his neck, "What's…what's happening to me…" he breathed quietly, slowly opening his eyes, only to see Zach leaning over him, slowly unbuttoning his shirt, Zach's own shirt already unbuttoned completely and hanging loosely from his shoulders.

If he could have seen him, Harry would have seen Draco having a minor fit behind Zach, his face burning with rage, but unable to do anything but stand there.

"What the _fuck_ does he think he's doing?" Draco screamed at the twins, who just sat there on the floor with shocked looks on their faces. "What's wrong with Harry? Why is he-GET THE HELL AWAY FORM HIM!" Draco then screamed at Zach, who was licking his lips at the sight of Harry's chest as he un-did the last button.

Harry frowned up at Zach, his breathing still heavy, and tried to look down at his fingers, "What are you doing….?" He asked, trying to move his hand to stop him, but finding it still to heavy.

"Lemme be honest with you Harry," Zach said, pushing aside the sides of Harry's shirt, exposing his chest, "I can't be bothered with the whole 'getting to know you' thing." He said, and he sat up from the bed, crawling over Harry, one leg and one arm either side of his body, and leant down nose to nose. "All I wanted was _you_, just like _this_."

Harry couldn't focus, he felt dizzy, he couldn't control his breathing, "What are you…talking about?...get off me…"

"YES GET OFF HIM!"

Harry tried to wriggle away, alarm bells ringing somewhere in the back of his mind, but found his limbs aching and his skin still on fire, and he just couldn't move.

Zach simply smirked down at him, "Oh I don't think so, not now I've finally got you."

And all of a sudden Harry felt lips on his own, an unfamiliar and unwanted tongue pushing past them.

The twins went pale at the look on Draco's face, his fumed screaming abruptly cut short, now just staring with wide shocked eyes as Zach kissed Harry hungrily. And Harry wasn't even fighting back!

But then Harry was feeling confused, frowning. What the hell did Zach think he was doing? He didn't want this, he wanted to push him away, but this strange warm feeling in the pit of his stomach made him do the exact opposite. Instead he responded, wrapping his tongue around Zach's as he kissed him back just as hungrily.

"…Harry?" Draco almost whimpered, watching with stricken eyes as his love kissed Zach back. Surely he didn't want him did he? But…the dreams, the times he's…touched himself, thinking of Draco, even if he didn't really understand who he was, how could he just push that aside for the sake of being able to kiss someone?

He felt pathetic, but he felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. He didn't wait 906 years for Harry only to have to watch him make out with another man!

"S-stop…" Harry suddenly tried to speak, and the anger returned in Draco, but this time back at Zach.

Harry felt sick, both literally and mentally. His own lips betrayed him, his skin feeling hotter and hotter by every passing moment. He tried to move again, but Zach suddenly ground his hips against Harry's, and Harry involuntarily gasped loudly, his head tossed to one side, moaning and arching upwards. His mind was screaming, get away, get off, he didn't want this at all! But his body…his body was just begging for touch and heat. He could feel himself getting hard, could feel Zach's hardness digging into him back, and felt disgusted with himself.

Draco's breathing was heavy with rage, furious eyes burning into Zach as he saw the satisfied smirk in his eyes, staring down at a helpless Harry. Harry had asked him to stop, so what the hell did he think he was doing straddling him like that?

"Get…away…from him…" Draco growled deeply, fists clenched by his sides, and Fred and George stood up from the floor, not sure on what to do, glancing at each other almost scared at Draco. Draco was going to explode, but the frustration would still remain because he wouldn't be able to do anything about this!

"Oh you don't want me to stop," Zach smiled at him, grinding down on him once again, Harry tossing his head back.

"Argh! Ooohh…n-no I…I, _yes_…I do…'on't…I…_god_…"

Zach chuckled at him, leaning down and licking a slow, wet trail from his right nipple all the way up his neck and pausing at his lips, "I don't think your body wants to stop." He smirked, "And you should always listen to what the body wants." and was just about to kiss him again, when out the corner of his eye he could swear he saw the glass sitting on Harry's desk move.

He paused, looking up at it. It…just shook didn't it?

Zach wasn't the only one looking at the glass, for Fred and George were too, looking between that and Draco, who was practically shaking with fury.

"Er….Draco?" Fred tried, but Draco couldn't even hear them. His whole body shook, his eyes shining with absolute ferocity at Zach.

Zach continued looking at the glass blankly for a few moments, before Harry's erratic breathing and ever growing erection at the friction he was causing on his groin brought him back to the task at hand.

He turned back to Harry and slipped his tongue in his open mouth for just a brief few seconds, before licking down his neck again, "I'm going to get you so hard, and then I'm going to_ride_ you. Won't that be fun? Have you ever had sex Harry? Cos I just get the feeling you haven't." Zach said, grinning to himself as he pressed his hand against Harry's erection _hard_, Harry groaning and arching up once again. "Feels good doesn't it? See none of my previous boyfriends understood me, they all wanted "cuddles" and "relationships" and "let's walk the dog together" crap. They never understood that sex is the only worthwhile thing to do, they never got that all I wanted was to feel a cock inside me. They never understood that."

"Stop it please…" Harry found himself begging, now knowing for sure he could no longer control his own body, and the fear and panic were setting in, "What did you do to me…?" He could feel the heat overwhelm him, his eyes starting to role to the back of his head, and he could feel a wetness in the corner of his eyes. He felt confused, dizzy, he couldn't think….he couldn't, understand….what was…_oh god, someone, help me!_

"I wanted you the moment I saw you," Zach continued, but Harry was having trouble breathing, his mind unable to understand what he was saying, his body beginning to shake. Zach leant over him again, nose to nose, and grinned slyly, "Welcome to the Date Rape drug babe." He said, before biting Harry's bottom lip hard, his hands trailing downwards and un-zipping Harry's jeans, wrapping his hand around-

"SHIT!"

Zach bolted upright so fast he nearly fell of the bed when the glass sitting on Harry's desk shattered right beside him.

Fred and George had backed themselves into a corner, wide eyed staring at Draco as the blind fury that radiated off him shattered the glass, his cloak beginning to float in the air, as if an air current had caught it, the rest of his clothes rippling in this un-felt wind.

"What the fuck!" Zach exclaimed, as Harry's laptop on his desk began to vibrate, his hair brush vibrating right off the end of the table. Zach leapt up of the bed and off of Harry, backing himself into the wall as he watched the swivel chair begin to move by itself, vibrating across the floor, the books on a shelf by his head falling off to the floor.

Zach's wide eyes darted from side to side, "What the hells going on? We don't get earthquakes here!"

Suddenly the curtains by the window began to ripple, the room went icily cold, and the books that had fallen on the floor suddenly began to...float?

Zach stared in terror as the eight books on the floor began to lift into the air, floating a good two feet off the ground. His palms started to sweat as he stood flat against the wall, his heart racing, watching as the hair brush and his own jacket joined the books in the air.

The twins had no idea how Draco was doing this, but finally thought this was a good time to try and stop him, and stepped forward. "Draco, come on, you've gotta stop, Ron's gonna be pissed." George said, but again Draco didn't seem to hear them.

Blind rage had consumed him, his breaths coming in swift short gaps through clenched teeth, boring a road straight to hell through Zach with his eyes.

"You…" he growled, and didn't realise that Zach's face had gone as white as a sheet, staring directly at Draco's eyes.

"Oh my….SHIT! OH SHIT OH SHIT!" Zach exclaimed over and over as the faint form of a young man suddenly appeared before him, eyes burning into his own as he scrambled against the wall as if trying to escape through it.

"You…" Draco repeated.

"OH SHIT!"

In a split moment, a flash of white light emanated from Draco, the curtains flapping widely, _"GET! OUT! "_he screamed at the top of his voice, and without having to be told twice, a terrified Zach bolted for the door, grabbing his floating jacket as he went, unlocked the door and ran down the corridor at an un-earthly speed, screaming and swearing as he went.

But Draco's anger wasn't over yet, spinning around to face an almost equally terrified Weasley twins, he shouted sternly to them, "Do you know anything about this Date Rape drug? Is it going to hurt Harry?" he demanded, Harry seemingly half unconscious, unaware of everything that had just happened, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, his fingers on his right hand twitching.

"Er, well," the twins look at each other, before Fred spoke up, "We read on the internet that it might cause temporary amnesia for a while, but nothing serious, only a handful of people have actually died from-"

"WHAT!" Draco screamed at them, the fury in his eyes immediately replaced with fear. "DIED? YOU CAN _DIE_ FROM THIS?"

"Err, well, i-it depends on how much alcohol the persons had," George answered shakily, "A-and if they're used to drinking alcohol or not."

"Well Harry isn't!" Draco shouted at them as if it was their fault, "And he's not used to drinking! RON!" he suddenly screamed.

In a flash of white light Ron appeared, back in his white tunic, "Yeah I thought you might be calling, my office just exploded with alarm bells and-" Ron stopped and took notice of the mess in the room, "What the hell happened here?"

"Long story short," Fred began, "A guy called Zach gave Harry a Date Rape drug, tried to get into pants, Draco went berserk and things started floating, then I think Zach saw him and ran out the room."

"Though we dunno how he _saw_ him exactly." George added.

Ron seemed to groan and sigh, "Don't worry, it's just a TO: Telepathic Outburst. It's what happens when a spirits emotional state overwhelms itself. It doesn't happen very often, but it_has_ happened before."

"Is there a way to help Harry? To save his life?" Draco asked quickly, and Ron blinked at him before looking down at Harry, who still wasn't moving, his breathing now dangerously slow.

"You mean…he's dying?" Ron asked slowly.

"Yes."

"Hey you know he might not die-" Fred interjected, but Draco's glare cut him short.

"If there's a chance I want to know of a way to save him!" he glared at him, before turning back to Ron, "So, is there a way?"

"Nope."

Draco stared at him. How could he say that so calmly? "What the hell do you mean _nope_? There _must_ be! There _must_ be a way!"

"There isn't a way Draco." Ron repeated sternly, crossing his arms.

"Wait, what does it matter if he dies?" George asked, "I mean, he'll be judged won't he? Then you can go back up and you can both be together right?"

Draco was clenching and unclenching his fists as George spoke, and when he finished turned to him furiously,

"Don't you idiots get it? If Harry dies now he'll only be reincarnated again! That's what Hermione told me when I died! When a persons life is taken before they're due they're reincarnated to be given another chance! I've waited over 900 _fucking_ years to see him! I am not losing him again!" Fred and George recoiled slightly at his outburst. Draco very rarely swore, and had sworn a lot in the past half hour.

Despite his anger it was obvious Draco was close to tears. All this time waiting would all be for nothing if Harry died now. He'd only be reincarnated again, meaning Ron would have to search for his soul again, and it could take just as long as it did this time. He wasn't going to wait another 900 years, it was torture. He'd already lost him once, he wasn't going to lose him again.

"Ron there _has_ to be a way! This is the Afterlife for goodness sake you have departments for these sorts of things, you _must_ have one for something like this."

"I'm sorry Draco, I'm not allowed." Ron said sternly.

Draco stared up at his Guiding Angel, his face stricken with panic, before a small voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Draco…"

Draco's eyes went wide and he turned to Harry. He was whispering his name, over and over, eyelids flickering. Draco walked over and sat at the edge of the bed, reaching out to him, his fingers passing through his hair, and he grit his teeth in sorrow, "Please hold on Harry…" he began, biting his bottom lip, "Don't you dare die. Not again. Please…please-" then Draco stopped, Ron's words finally seeping in:

_I'm not__**allowed**__._

Wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes, he stood up and glared up at Ron, "There _is_ a way isn't there? You're just not supposed to tell me! What is it?"

Ron's stern face crumbled as he too realised the way he had worded his last sentence, and silently cursed himself.

"I can't tell you."

"Tell me!"

"If I tell you and Hermione finds out she'll kick me out of the Angels, let alone demote me!"

"Screw your career Ron! This is Harry's life!"

"_We're not allowed to interfere_!" Ron stressed.

"You made someone believe they wanted to be a Nuclear Scientist when you found Harry's soul didn't you? To get them to leave the school so Harry could move in! I think that's called interfering Ron, now TELL ME!"

"No."

"NOW!"

"I _can't._" Ron pleaded.

"Tell me _please_!" It was at that point Draco finally broke into tears, collapsing to the floor, Harry's continued disorientated whispers of "Draco" filling the otherwise silent room. "He's calling me and I can't help him," Draco sobbed, the tears falling freely now, "Please tell me Ron. I don't want to wait anymore. Look…" he began, leaning forward onto the floor, "I'm on my hands and knees Ron, I'm _begging_ you, _please_, just tell me….please…I don't want to lose him again…I can't…"

Ron stared at him with his mouth ajar. The Prince was actually on his hands and knees, begging. The shock was so much that he nearly forgot why he was saying no to him in the first place.

"Tell him Ron," Fred said quietly, looking at the heart broken Prince on the floor, begging to be told how to save his love.

"Yeah," George said, "We'll take the blame if Hermione finds out. We'll tell her we found out about, whatever it is. We just won't tell her how, it'll drive her nuts."

Ron looked at his brothers, the most sincere faces he'd ever seen on them, then back to Draco, still humbled on the floor in front of him.

With a very big sigh, and a mumbled, "Goodbye career and love life," Ron floated down to the floor and stood there, grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him up.

"Stop doing that would you, it's creeping me out seeing you of all people begging."

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Draco was still a teenager. With his haughty attitude to those with less class then he, except Harry of course, it was easy to forget that Draco had been through a very tragic moment in his young life before he died, causing him to commit suicide at only 19 years old. Ok, so Ron was only 8 months older then him, making him 20 years old, but Draco still had the "teen" in his biological age, which made Ron still feel a little protective, it was just natural.

"There is a way, ok? But…" Ron paused, wondering if this really was such a great idea, looking at Draco as he wiped away his tears and looked at him expectantly.

"Tell me…" Draco pleaded again.

Ron sighed again, "Ok, listen. You can Soul Share with him, where you give him part of your own soul to keep him alive. It can be done with anyone, whether they're dying or not, but you have to be _sure_ you want to do thi-"

"What do I have to do?" Draco interrupted, and Ron sighed again, half annoyed at keeping on being interrupted.

"Very basically, you have to align yourself with his body. Sink into him, float above him on your front and lower yourself literally through his body and stay there. What each spirit experiences once having done that is different, but you can-HEY!"

Draco had swiftly moved above Harry, floating there, nose to nose.

Ron reached out, "Wait, you need to think about this first! I haven't told you the side affec-" but before he could finished his sentence, Draco closed his eyes and let himself float down and into Harry's body, disappearing. Draco didn't need to know about side affects, as long as this saved Harry, he didn't care.

He left Ron, Fred and George staring at Harry, who still hadn't moved, and was still whispering Draco's name.

Fred turned to Ron, "Hey, what was the side affect?" he asked quietly.

Ron did nothing but watch Harry, a strange sadness in his eyes, "There's not much point in saying it now, what's done is done. He'll find out eventually." He sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, "Man I wish he'd listen to me."

When Draco opened his eyes again, he physically jumped in surprise. He was standing in a very familiar room, the bed, the cupboards, the statue by the wall all seemed very familiar, but he couldn't quite…where had he seen this room before?

Just then he heard someone sobbing, and as he walked around the edge of the bed in curiosity, saw a figure curled up on the floor beside the bed. He was crying hopelessly into his arms, his knees brought tightly to his chest, his mess of oak brown hair…

Draco's eye went wide.

Oak brown hair?

Suddenly, he recognised the room. This was Harry's room! Back in his living days, the statue by the wall, it was the statue that led to their secret passageway! This was the room Draco now used to keep his journals in, where his desk and the one forever burning candle now sat.

And this…this man crying, the oak brown hair that was…

"Harry?"

The figure froze, his crying stopped, and slowly his head rose, his big green eyes shining from the tears they were shedding.

Draco's heart seemed to stop beating. This was Harry. This was his Harry as he was 906 years ago.

"Draco?" Harry choked, and before Draco could find a brain cell to answer with, suddenly found Harry jumping up from the floor and flinging his arms around him.

"It's you! It's really you!"

Draco was still frozen to the spot, and couldn't even respond when Harry kissed him over and over, repeating, "It's you," and hugging him so tightly. "Oh I've waited so long to see you! 900 years, oh _god_ this reincarnation is such an idiot! I keep on making his scar hurt when you're around; I keep trying to tell him who he really is, but he just doesn't see it!"

Harry pulled back and looked Draco over, holding him by his shoulders, before cupping his cheeks and giving him a quick but deep kiss, "You haven't changed a bit, you're still just as beautiful." He whispered against his lips, and Draco's brain finally found that brain cell.

"Harry? As in…_Harry_?"

Harry grinned at him, "I don't know how you got here, but I'm so glad you are. This reincarnation of me is dying, I thought I was going to die without seeing you again."

Draco stared at him, his bright green eyes, that oak brown hair, just as it used to be. He slowly reached up, and ran a cautious hand through the hair he once knew so well, the adoring look in Harry's eyes one he had once loved with all his heart. This really was his Harry. "Um, that's why I'm here," Draco began, still rather lost for words as he stared into those deep green eyes, "I'm told I can save you, or, him, whoever, but I don't know how. Why are you here I mean…what…how are you…"

Harry chuckled at the confused and awed look on Draco's face, obviously still trying to register he was here, and embraced him again, nuzzling his hair.

"I'm part of this reincarnated Harry's soul. If you're here to try and save him, it's me you're seeing because it's me that you remember. If you're asking me how you save him, how you save me, I don't know, but don't let go." He said, holding him tighter, "If I really am to die again, I want to hold you to last second."

"But…you _are_ my Harry right? I mean, the same one…all those years ago…"

Draco felt Harry smile against his cheek, "Yeah, I've wanted to see you for so long…"

Draco stood there, his arms slowly circling around Harry's waist, but still in shock. He was here, in his Harry's arms, in Harry's old bedroom, just as it was 906 years ago. Had he properly died when he merged with Harry just now? As in, gone to heaven? Because if he hadn't this certainly felt like heaven. But his Harry was worried, he was dying, and Draco didn't know what to do. He should have listened to Ron more, he didn't even know how to come back out! But as his Harry nuzzled him and kissed his neck, Draco didn't really want to come out, and lowered his eyelids, a small happy smile on his face. He leant back and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, looking into his eyes for a moment, before kissing him eagerly.

He was kissing his Harry, the Harry he'd waited for, his Harry's true soul, and at the back of his mind he hoped, that if Harry did die, that he'd die along with him, just to be able to keep this moment until the last.

"I love you." Draco whispered as he took a breath, before kissing him again, Harry running his fingers through his hair so gently.

"I love you too, always will." Harry responded, and as they held each other closely, their legs intertwined, their lips kissing for everything they were worth, the room was suddenly enveloped in darkness, and a searing pain shot through Draco's heart, before he felt nothing more.

* * *

"How long does this usually take?" George asked, absently picking at a loose thread on his trousers, a thread that had remained loose ever since he died.

"Don't know, it can vary." Ron responded, sitting cross legged in the air resting his chin on his hand.

"Hey listen!" Fred exclaimed, pointing to Harry's body on the bed.

"..raco…I love you…draco…I love you…"

The three brothers looked at one another, asking the same unasked question, before suddenly a piercingly bright white light shot from Harry's body, everyone having to shield their eyes, and Draco's spirit was literally thrown out of Harry's body. Harry was suddenly gasping for breath, arching off the bed, his eyes still closed, before falling back silently, his chest rising and falling as normal.

Ron had rushed forward when Draco suddenly appeared, and caught him just before he went flying through the bedroom wall. He was breathing heavily, seeming dazed, but he grabbed onto Ron's robes as he held him, and tried to focus up at him.

"Harry!" he gasped, "Is he…"

Ron looked at Harry on the bed, his breathing normal, his shaking having subsided, and if none of them knew any better, was simply sleeping. He looked down at Draco, and smiled at him, "He's fine mate."

Draco smiled weakly, relief washing over his face, before he collapsed in Ron's arms, unconscious.

_**31st July 1098**_

It was late evening now, and Draco paced his room, the fire place roaring beside him. He had been confined to his room, for his own protection, while the castle was checked for any more intruders and secured once again. This meant he couldn't check on Harry. He had tried to order Sirius to check on him, to stay there until the Nurse Maids left and then sneak him in to see him, but after the attack Sirius point blankly refused to budge from Draco's side, and was currently guarding his bedroom door. Sirius had been tended to for his injuries, but he refused to stay with the nursemaids and had returned to his post by Draco as soon as possible. He was hobbling slightly, but to him it was no excuse.

Draco paused in his pacing and stared at the large oak door of his bedroom. He wondered, at some point, if he should mention to Sirius that he'd overheard his conversation with Harry, mainly about him being with his mother. When Sirius found him hovering outside the door, he must have known he'd heard, but neither of them had time to ask anything, what with the sudden attack. Draco still found it very difficult to believe that his own mother and Sirius had been together, he just couldn't see it, his mother smiling. He had surprised himself by not being angry too. Probably because he now knew that Sirius actually understood his own situation. He didn't approve of their relationship, but he was still helping him, trying to convince Harry to stay with him.

Draco returned to his pacing as his thoughts wandered back to Harry, injured and in pain. He'd cursed himself over and over again for doing nothing but standing there frozen. By the time he had found he could move again, it felt like he was watching from a distance as the soldiers helped the nurse maids by carrying Harry out the room, a trail of blood dripping onto the stone flooring. Sirius was beside him, watching him with concerned eyes, before Draco's face had collapsed with panic and he leapt forward, Sirius catching him around his waist and whispering harshly into his ear that it must not appear he cared for Harry.

Draco had struggled for a moment, but when he felt blood from Sirius's wound seeping through his own clothes, he knew there was nothing he could do, and let the one remaining nurse maid lead Sirius out the room, three soldiers coming in to take Draco back to his own room.

He could do nothing now but wait until the castle was secure again, and not knowing how Harry was doing was driving him nuts! He'd already been writing furiously in his journal about everything that had happened, if only for something to do, but now just pacing was making him nervous and-

Draco paused in his pacing and stared at the fireplace, to the fake-stone secret door to the left, and almost felt like hitting himself! Of course! He had the secret passageway! He could sneak down to Harry's room, sneak out and up to the Medical Room and see Harry!

But…what if Sirius came in? With some quick thinking Draco ran to his wardrobe and pulled a large pile of clothes out, pulling back his bed covers and shoving the clothes underneath, arranging them in a convincing body shape and pulling the covers back over. Then, clearing his throat, he walked up to his bedroom door and opened it very slightly.

"Sirius?"

"Yes Your Highness?" Sirius replied, leaning again the wall beside the door, trying not to put pressure on his wounded thigh.

"I'm going to bed now. I do not wish to be disturbed. I shall check on Harry in the morning."

Sirius stared at him for a moment, a calculating gaze, Draco hoping he'd buy his little story, before he slowly replied, "Yes…Your Highness."

And with that Draco shut the door, quickly ran around his room blowing out the candles, leaving only the fireplace roaring away, before opening the secret passageway, the heat from the proximity on the fire warming him, and disappearing down the stairway.

He had to see Harry, he had to make sure he was ok, he had to ask what he meant when he said he was sorry for leaving him.

* * *

The Medical Room was quiet and dark, and there was a definite lingering smell of blood. Draco hated blood, and could never understand how women of all people could deal with injuries.

There were four occupied beds, each with one small candle burning away beside them, the only source of light in the large room. Draco slowly closed the creaking wooden door beside him, cringing slightly and hoping it didn't wake anyone up. He did a quick check around the room to make sure there were no nurses maids around, hopefully this time of night they would have gone to sleep, and walked up to the first bed. Laying in it was a solider, obviously wounded from the raids earlier on, and who was fast asleep, snoring softly. The next bed was another solider, the next looked like a young maid, perhaps having been caught in the crossfire, but the last bed, the candle flickering softly and dancing over the ruffled locks of oak brown hair, was Harry.

He lay flat on his back, asleep, his chest wrapped in bandages, the thin looking blanket pulled up only half way up his chest. There was a bowl on the small table next to the bed, with a red stained cloth hanging half out of it, the water in the bowl tinged with red, and Draco looked away. It must be Harry's blood, and Draco suddenly felt his heart sink in his chest, weighed down and reaching out to the still, but breathing, body on the bed.

He sat down at the edge of the bed, the candle flickering violently for a moment as the wind from his cloak rushed past, and watched the rise and fall of Harry's bandaged chest. It was through his shoulder that the arrow had pierced, and Draco wondered why Harry was laying on his back. Surely it would have been much more comfortable to lay on his front, with no pressure on the wound.

He slowly placed his fingertips on the bandage across his chest, feeling the warmth radiating from Harry's skin underneath. It was a comfortable warmth, one he had grown to love, and one he hadn't felt in three months now. He placed his palm flat on his chest, feeling his breathing, and Draco felt his own heart beat begin to quicken. He was here, he was safe, and if he wanted, Draco could just lean over and kiss him, right now.

So that's just what he did. Quickly looking at the other three occupants of the room to make sure they were still sleeping, Draco leant forward and placed a small, warm kiss on Harry's dry lips. He lingered there, not wanting to move back, for this may be a small sweet kiss, but it was the first time he'd kissed him in over three months, and Draco didn't want to pull away.

He found his breath quickening, and he placed his arm at the side of Harry's head, making sure not to squash his chest, and ran his fingers through his hair. He gently ran his tongue across Harry lips, moistening them, and kissing him again gently. He wanted him badly, he wanted him back, he wanted to go to sleep with Harry beside him, wanted to wake up with Harry's arms around him, having absently cuddled him during the night. He wanted Harry to love him again, he wanted him back, he…

Draco couldn't kiss him any more, for suddenly found he was fighting back tears. Instead he pulled back, and gently placed his head on his chest. "Why did you do that?" Draco found himself asking the sleeping Harry in strangled voice, "You could have died. You shouldn't have done that. If you'd died…if I'd lost you…" Draco couldn't help the one tear that escaped him, that fell onto the bandages and disappeared, "You're an idiot."

"You're right about that."

Draco's head shot up and stared as Harry slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids still heavy, "I must be an idiot to risk my life for a little brat like you," Harry smiled weakly, his voice small and groggy, and Draco felt the urge to either hit him or hug him.

He vouched for the latter though, and practically pounced on him, flinging his arms around him.

"Ow!" Harry exclaimed, Draco quickly shushing him with his fingers and apologising at the same time, taking another quick look at the other beds.

"Shh, we're not the only ones in here you know." Draco whispered urgently, sprawled across him, faces close.

"Well don't pounce on me then," Harry chuckled meekly, "I did have an arrow in my back a few hours ago you know."

Draco looked at him sorrowfully when he said that, and brushed a few strands of hair away from his face, "Why did you do that Harry?"

Harry smiled weakly again, closing his eyes at the feel of Draco's touch on his forehead, "You're important to everyone Draco, I couldn't just-"

"No one's more important than you Harry, not to me." Harry opened his eyes at the sincerity in Draco's voice, and found the blond prince looking down at his chest to avoid his eyes, "If you'd died…argh, I'm only important to people who care about the country, not about me. You're the only person to care about me and if I'd lost you…" Draco looked back into Harry's eyes, tears once again forming in his own, and he leant forward, placing his cheek next to Harry's, hugging him. "Please come back to me Harry," he asked desperately, voice cracking, "I've missed you. I overheard everything you and Sirius were talking about in that room earlier," he felt Harry stiffened slightly in his arms, "So please choose me. Please…I love you, I want you back, I miss you, please choose me, please be with me. I'd do anything…anything to have you back again."

They lay there in silence for a moment, Draco moving slightly and resting his head on the pillow over Harry's shoulder, the tears that had fallen from Draco's eyes onto Harry's cheek now disappearing into the fabric of the pillow. Slowly Harry reached out to Draco's hand by his head with his left arm, unable to move his right due to the injury to his shoulders. He stroked the back of his hand gently, Draco watching with tear shined eyes at the simple and such familiar gesture, as he lay cuddled to Harry.

"My sister came to see me earlier, when the Nurse Maids let her in." Harry finally said into the fading light, two of the candles having burnt out, leaving only his own and the maid. "She fussed over me so much," he smiled fondly, "making sure I was comfortable, asking if I wanted anything to eat or drink. She told me I was so brave to risk my life for the Prince, for her future husband. She kissed me on my forehead, saying she was so lucky and so proud to have an older brother like me, someone who cares so much, works so hard, always thinks about others before himself. She was embarrassing me to no end," he smiled, "but…" and his smile left his face, frowning softly into the darkness, "the whole time she was praising me, all I could feel was guilt, because her words just seemed to pass straight through me. All I could think about, was that I wished it was you here with me instead of her, that it was you who was allowed to come in and see me, and be smiling like that."

He paused, Draco moving his hand Harry was stroking and intertwining their fingers instead.

"I'm sorry for the past few months," Harry continued, his throat feeling tight, "I don't think I realised just what you really are to me. Sirius has helped me open my eyes. If I choose my sister, then I'll just be in pain without you, but if I choose you, I can be with you and still look after her. I never wanted to lose you, saying goodbye before was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do." He squeezed Draco's hand, who squeezed it back, bringing it to his lips and kissing it, "I felt horrible, dirty, I don't know how long I cried for. Your heart was broken and it made me feel sick that I was cause. I tried to ignore you, I busied myself with my father and the workshop, but everywhere I went you seemed to be there. And then_you_, this past week, don't think I haven't noticed all your blatant flirting towards me." Draco smiled warmly to himself, hearing the amused tone in Harry's voice, the ache in his heart beginning to fade, "Do you have any idea what you were doing to me? There are only so many times you can't lace your own shirt you know."

Draco chuckled, almost giggled, and turned his head to face him, moving down slightly and resting his head on Harry's shoulder, their hands still intertwined.

"I'm sorry about that." He smiled.

"No you're not." Harry smiled back, and Draco looked up at him, seeing the playfulness in his eyes, and he grinned.

"No, you're right, I'm not."

They looked at each other for a moment, before collapsing into quiet laughter, both of them shushing each other before Harry winced in pain slightly, and Draco immediately stopped, concern on his face as Harry moved to get more comfortable.

"Sorry," Harry smiled weakly, and before anything else could be said, Draco leant down and kissed him. And this wasn't a small dry kiss of lips on lips, this was a passionate, loving kiss, letting all the pent up love they'd been keeping away from each other flow through in one heat filled kiss. The kiss was slow, but deep, tongues that hadn't met for three months finding each other once again. Draco moaned deeply, and non-too quietly. He found himself crawling on top of Harry, their obvious erections brushing each other, causing both to moan into their kiss. Three months was a long time not to feel the one you loved more than your own life, but Draco knew that Harry was injured, he shouldn't do this right now, so before he got too carried away, broke the kiss slowly, kissing upwards instead, his cheek, his eyelid, his forehead, holding him and running his fingers through his hair lovingly.

"Does this mean you've chosen me? Does this mean we can be together again?" Draco asked hopefully, kissing his forehead again, then his temple, then facing him to wait for his answer.

Harry stared back into those gorgeous grey eyes, the eyes that loved him more than anything, and found himself melting., "Well, if you still want me, after everything I put you through, then…yeah," he smiled up at him, "I choose you. I don't think I can live without you anymore. Three months was hard enough, I know there's no way I'd last a lifetime."

The candle on the maids bedside table burnt out, leaving only the small struggling flame on Harry's. Draco stared down to the faint flickering light dancing over Harry's smiling face, and knew that no matter what happened in the future, the marriage, his own eventual coronation, if Harry was there with him, he could handle anything that the world threw at him.

"Do you know what day it is today?" Draco asked.

Harry wasn't expecting a question, and shook his head gently.

"It's the 31st of July. We met a year ago today, at that Ball, remember?"

Harry smiled as the realisation sunk in, "Of course, I was so nervous to meet you."

Draco smiled warmly at him, "Well, we're still here a year later, so to answer your question…" Draco slowly leant down towards his lips, and whispered gently across them, "I always want you," and Harry's smile grew wider, before pressing their lips together, just as the last candle burnt out completely, leaving the room in darkness, but two very happy souls in each others arms once again

_**28th January 2006**_

When Draco awoke the next the morning, he found himself still laying in Ron's arms, who was currently sitting on the floor in Harry's old bedroom, the one ever burning candle still flickering away.

"Ron?" he asked groggily, looking up.

"Aw man thank god you've woken up! I was getting back ache sitting down here!" Ron complained, feeling Draco stir.

Draco scoffed sleepily, "So no concern over me then."

"Concerned? You scared the pants of us Princey!" came Fred's voice, who Draco now saw was sitting on the desk.

"We tried to lay you down but because you were unconscious you couldn't concentrate on staying on the floor and kept on slipping through." George said, "Ron here has had to hold you aaaallllll night." He teased, earning a glare from both Ron _and_ Draco.

"This is why spirits don't sleep," Ron said grumpily as Draco finally got up off him, albeit a little shakily, and decided to float for a moment instead of standing on the floor, as it took less concentration, and right now felt a huge lack of concentration.

"So why was I sleeping?" Draco asked eventually, holding his aching head.

"I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me." Ron said, "What happened when you merged with Harry? Cos whatever you did it worked, he's fine, although a bit sick from all that booze, but other than-"

"HARRY!"

And without another word Draco shot up through the ceiling towards Harry's current modern bedroom.

Ron stood there staring at the ceiling, blinking for a moment, before glaring harshly at it, "I wish he'd let me finish my sentences! And would you look at that! Not even a word of thanks! I dunno why I bloody bother!" he complained, although still followed him up there, hiding the concern over the Prince from his brothers.

When Draco appeared in Harry's bedroom, Harry wasn't in his bed, and the messy room had been cleaned. Ron, who appeared beside him, could see the questions on his face.

"Don't worry, he's fine, he woke up with a headache and then proceeded to throw up all the alcohol he'd drunk in the loos. I tidied up the mess before he woke, so he doesn't know anything happened."

Draco stared at the clean room for a moment longer, lingering on the now empty bed, and looked up at Ron quietly, "He really is okay?"

Ron nodded, "Yep."

Draco smiled, his head feeling clearer, the worry lifting away, and he sat down on Harry's bed. He had no idea what he did, all he remembered was holding onto his Harry and kissing him like there was no tomorrow, which ironically, there wouldn't have been if he'd died. He remembered feeling that he never wanted to let go, that he loved him with his very being, that he would do anything to make sure he lived…

Maybe that was it. Giving your whole being to someone, wanting to die for someone? Who knows, but whatever he did, it worked, and that's all that mattered.

"How are _you_ feeling?" Ron suddenly asked, and Draco looked up at him, thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Fine." He said.

"Hmm," Ron said, eying him up and down slowly, "Well, you do seem to be okay..."

"Why is there supposed to be something wrong with me?"

"What? Oh, no, no I don't think so, it's just you have just given part of your soul to Harry remember, so I was just checking that it didn't effect you too much."

"I feel fine." Draco repeated, and he honestly did.

Ron eyed him again, before apparently satisfied and stretching out his wings, ruffling them, "Good. Well, I better get back to Limbo, got a pile of paperwork to catch up on, that and I've got to make up some sort of excuse as to where I was all night. Man if I get caught for doing this I-"

"Thanks…Ron…for telling me."

Ron looked down at Draco, deliberately staring at the floor, and was unable to keep the surprised look off his face once again, before his face split into a huge grin, "You're quite welcome mate. Now don't you be doing any more rescuing, of _anyone_, got it?"

Draco smirked and looked up at him, "Yes _Sir_." He drawled, before Ron smirked right back at him, ruffled his feathers again, and disappeared.

* * *

"You should have _seen_ him Harry! Being dragged out the school like a maniac he was! Screaming about a ghost! Call me sick but it was quite hilarious, the guy was totally freaked out! What the hell did you do to him?"

On their way back to their rooms from studying in the library, Seamus had been telling Harry the story of how Professor Snape had found Zach curled up in the corner of his office, rocking back and forth as white as a sheet early this morning. He'd apparently thrown any objects in the office out the window and was left with a bare office, repeating over and over again not to come near him with, well, _anything_. Snape had gone absolutely mental, coming in to find a bare office and broken windows. They had to call an ambulance to take him away in the end, because when anyone tried to touch him he completely freaked out.

Seamus had also giving Harry very good advice on keeping out of Professor Snapes way for a while, as saying he was not in a good mood was putting things very _very_ mildly. Apparently he'd been over heard in his empty office swearing about teenagers and why this sort of thing only ever happened to him.

"So what happened when he took you back? Did you have sex? I mean, before he freaked out?"

Harry promptly dropped the books he had been holding, "Seamus!" he exclaimed, Seamus just looking at him innocently.

"What? It's just a question!"

"_No we did not have sex_!"

At least, he was pretty sure they hadn't. He hoped he hadn't, but then he couldn't remember much about what happened during the night. He remembered telling Zach he should have had grey eyes in the pub, then a long gap to where he was pretty sure Zach was leaning over him when he was in his bed asking how he was feeling. Besides, he didn't _feel_ any differently, you know, 'down there', and he was pretty sure that even _Zach_ wouldn't be the kind to do anything to someone who was barely conscious with an overdose of alcohol.

No, he was certain nothing had happened. He must have fallen asleep or something and then Zach left quietly. It must have been after that that Zach had freaked out about, whatever had happened to him, because Harry certainly didn't remember a _ghost_!

He scratched his scar absently.

"Okay, well, moving on from what appears to be another pointless date for you," Seamus jabbed him with his elbow smirking, "What are you up to later on today? Deans's dragging me to a football match this afternoon, fancy tagging along?"

Harry shook his head, "Nah I still feel a bit drunk to be honest." He chuckled, "I think I'll finish up on Professor Lupin's assignment then take a nap."

"Heh, suit yourself!" he clapped his back, heading into his own room.

Harry smiled at him before opening his own door. A nap sounded like a good idea, he-

Draco, who was still sitting on Harry's bed, looked up when the bedroom door opened, only to find Harry standing there and staring. He blinked, looked behind him, then looked back again.

Harry appeared to be staring straight at him, so he got up and walked to the side, looking back to where he was sitting wondering what was so interesting. But when he looked back at Harry, found Harry's eyes had followed to where he was now standing by the window.

Something in Draco seemed to jump, and he stared at Harry, eyes wide and calculating. He took a step to the right.

Harry's eyes followed.

Draco's breath quickened.

He took another step, again, Harry followed him.

Draco now froze to the spot.

Was this…Ron tried to warn him about side affects, was one of them…could it be…

Draco licked his lips, and took a step forward, trying not to get too excited in case this was all by some miracle just co-incidence.

"Harry?" he tried carefully.

Harry stood there, his mouth gaping, before he made a strange strangled sound in the back of his throat, exclaiming:

"D-….Dra…co?"

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 12: The Order

**Chapter 12: The Order**

It took Harry exactly 43 seconds, standing stupidly in the middle of his doorway, to realise he was staring back into the grey eyes of the one young man that had filled his dreams since he was practically born. When his brain finally decided to tell his legs to move, he took one very slow step backwards out the door, reached out to the door handle, and shut it gently in front of him. He stared at the thin wooden door, the bronze number 2 hanging crooked, and blinked several times, before shaking his head. He cleared his throat, tried to steady his breathing, and attempted to explain to himself why he just saw Draco standing in his bedroom.

"Maybe I'm still asleep…" he whispered to himself, but didn't have time to think of anything else because suddenly;

"HARRY!"

"ARGH!"

Harry literally jumped back two feet against the corridor wall with a yelp of shock when Draco suddenly appeared _through_ his bedroom door right in front of his face. With nothing but his head and torso through the door, Draco had a grin that was practically splitting his face in half as Harry stared back at him, albeit looking half terrified.

"Wha….what….how…" Harry breathed rapidly, his heart trying to beat itself out of his chest.

"You can see me can't you?" Draco exclaimed at him, his face radiating excitement and happiness.

Harry stared at him, breathing heavily, "Shhhh….Seamus…" Harry whispered through gritted teeth, his eyes flickering towards Seamus's closed bedroom door, unwilling to take his eyes off of…whatever the hell this was!

"Just tell me you can see me!" Draco said excitedly, stepping all the way through the door towards Harry, who promptly edged across the wall away from him, eyes wide and unbelievingly.

"Seamus!" Harry said louder.

"Harry! You really can see me can't you?" Draco exclaimed again as he followed Harry edging quickly down the corridor.

Seamus's door finally opened, and the Irish boy walked out in nothing but a pair of faded jeans and toothbrush sticking out his mouth.

"Wha' 'arry?" he said, taking the toothbrush out his mouth.

Harry stared at Draco, who was currently floating mid-air, too excited to concentrate on walking, and without taking his eyes off him, spoke to Seamus,

"P-please tell me you can see that." he stuttered, Draco practically quivering with excitement.

"Just say it out loud! Please just say "I can see you Draco!"" the ghost exclaimed, and Harry swallowed, his eyebrows rising further up his forehead.

Seamus looked down the empty corridor, staring straight through Draco.

"See what?" he inquired, turning back to Harry, "Are you alright?" he chuckled, seeing Harry practically trying to scramble up the wall behind him.

"Fine." Harry squeaked, as Draco floated closer.

"Alright, well just say something, anything, say my name, say _your_ name, say something so I know this is real!" Draco exclaimed desperately, Harry now frozen to the spot. "Please!" Draco begged, "Just let me know….after all this time…"

Harry didn't know what the hell was going on, but as he stared into the excited and hopeful eyes of his floating dream boyfriend, Seamus looking curiously between Harry and the empty corridor, he couldn't help but squeak out:

"….Draco?"

Seamus turned and stared at him, before snorting and exclaiming, "Oi, don't start calling me Draco now!"

Immediately Draco's heart melted. Harry really was looking at him. Not _through_ him, but AT him. He didn't know why, he didn't care why, all he could think about was the fact that those green eyes were staring into his own, for the first time in 906 years. All that waiting, all that time, and every minute had been worth it just for this moment.

In one swift moment, Draco lunged towards Harry arms out stretched.

"Oh-my-God-what-the-hells-going-on?" and in a flash Harry bolted down the corridor and out the door, leaving a very confused Seamus standing supposedly alone in the corridor, in his jeans, holding his tooth brush.

* * *

"Ok, you have got to get yourself organised."

"You keep following him around like that he's going to get spooked and leave."

"And you don't want that happening do you?"

Fred and George were pacing up and down, crossing each other half way, while Draco sat on a chair behind a table in the library, watching them. They looked deep in thought, hands rubbing their chins, though with the twins it was hard to tell if they were being sincere or just taking the piss out of him.

"Somehow we've got to make him believe you really are a ghost without him freaking out."

"Somehow we have to make him stay in the same room as you long enough for you to say something intelligent to him."

"Somehow we've got to make him see you're not a threat."

"And chasing him down the corridors looking as though you want to rip his shirt off probably wasn't helping."

Draco felt like scowling at them, but all his expression could manage was a look of guilt. Draco had chased Harry through corridors and classrooms for quiet some time, all the time grinning and shouting out to him, but all Harry did, quite expectantly, was to leg it as far away from Draco as he could possibly get. He'd gone running straight through the quiet library at one point, the librarian Madam Pince grabbing him by his arm as he went skidding round the corner of a bookcase, and shoving him as quickly and quietly as possible out the door, telling him, "the nerve you have to run like a mad man through my library!". Harry didn't take much notice of her though, because as soon as he was out the library, took one look back at the floating body of his dream boyfriend zooming out through the closed library door, turned and continued to run, calling out for Draco to leave him alone, earning some very curious glances from some students heading towards the library door.

It was at that moment that Fred and George had appeared though a wall, grabbed Draco and stopped him from chasing after the very obviously scared-out-of-his-wits Harry. They'd dragged the ecstatically happy Draco back through the door, and sat him down on a chair at an empty table, and this is where they'd been since.

"I mean you did look kind of maniacal Princey."

"No wonder the poor bloke was scared."

"Well, what can one do but run when they have a 906 year old horny ghost chasing after them?"

"Are you quite finished?" Draco asked, sitting back on the chair and crossing his arms, now finding he could scowl at them.

Fred and George paused in their pacing to smirk at him, before walking through the table and crouching down either side of him.

"Ok, look," Fred said, Draco looking down at him, "You've got to corner him somehow, somewhere where there's only one exit."

"Yeah," agreed George, Draco now looking down his other side to him, "if you stand in front of the only exit, he'll be too freaked to go anywhere near you to be able to walk through you to get out."

"And you have to behave." Fred said, Draco turning back to him, "No sudden movements, no out bursts of "I've missed you!" or "I love you!" or "I want you to shag me back into life" or anything else like that, got it?"

The split second mortification on Draco's face at Fred's suggestion he'd shout out something like that faded as soon as it came, because actually, he might, secretly, have been thinking something along those lines.

"You've got to be calm, talk gently, try to explain things slowly." George said, Draco feeling like he was watching a tennis match as he turned back to him, "And if he looks like he'll start to run, call us and we'll scare him into staying where he is."

"I wouldn't do that!" Draco exclaimed, disgusted that they'd think he'd scare his Harry.

"You've been doing that for the past 20 minutes." Fred pointed out.

"You made him run into the girls toilets remember?"

Draco looked down sheepishly. In his haste to run away, Harry had run through the nearest door to him, which happened to be the girl's toilets. He didn't know who screamed loudest, the girls or Harry.

"Okay. Well, where am I going to try and do this then?" he asked.

Fred and George looked at each other, before grinning, "His bedroom of course." they chorused.

Harry had never felt so paranoid in his life. It had now been 4 hours since he'd seen this vision of Draco, and had been skulking round the castle, peering round corners cautiously to make sure the coast was clear ever since. He had absolutely no idea what the hell had just happened, except for the fact that maybe he had finally gone mad after all. His scar had itched annoyingly ever since, but he had more important things to worry about now, like why he was seeing his dream boyfriend floating around after him.

His immediate thought of course was that it was a ghost, but that was so stupid he'd dismissed it immediately. It couldn't have been a ghost. Not only do they not exist, but "Draco" was just someone he'd made up in his own mind, not a once real life person.

That of course left him with the fact that he must in that case be hallucinating, which didn't really comfort him any more than thinking he'd seen a ghost. In fact it was probably worse.

Seamus and Dean must have gone off to their football match by now, and knowing them have probably stayed out to have dinner somewhere, which left Harry feeling very vulnerable. He'd avoided his own bedroom like the plague, worried that as that was where he first saw Draco, he might be back in there. He kept moving throughout the castle, hoping that if he kept moving, this, "vision", or whatever it was, wouldn't find him. He did acknowledge that was the stupidest idea ever, but ignored it.

As he peered around another corner, the corridor empty apart from one lone boy walking towards the other end, Harry sighed to himself in annoyance. This was ridiculous, he really _was_acting crazy. He looked upwards towards the stone ceiling, as if his room was just above him, and bit his bottom lip. "It's not real," He said to himself, trying to rationalize, "I'm just tired, that's all, strange things happen to people when they're tried."

He wasn't entirely sure what he'd done to _make_ himself tired, but just to prove to himself that he was, yawned into his hand, ignoring the fact it was a bit of a forced yawn. He turned around and made his way back up to his room, repeating over and over that he was tired, and once he'd taken that nap he was going to have originally, everything would be fine.

His resolve stayed strong until he found himself outside his bedroom door again, staring at the wood that the last time he saw it had a floating upper body of a very attractive Prince hovering through it. He closed his eyes tightly, and repeated to himself once more that, "It isn't real". Cautiously he raised his hand and placed it on the door handle, turning it and swinging open the door.

Opening one eye warily, he peered into his bedroom, which looked exactly like he had left it this morning. Prince-less. Carefully edging his way inside and closing the door behind him, he slowly opened his wardrobe door on his right and peered inside, just to check nothing was going to leap out of it. When he was satisfied his wardrobe was clear, and his room nice and empty, Harry sighed in relief and flopped down on his bed, immediately removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He had that assignment from Professor Lupin to do, but decided that could wait till tomorrow, when hopefully he wouldn't be delusional and seeing things that weren't really there. He had to laugh at himself, and looked towards the window. It was getting dark outside even though it was still fairly early, worrying looking black clouds circling above, so he got up and closed his bedroom curtains, kicking off his shoes, and crawled back under the covers still dressed.

To be honest he wanted to spend as little time as possible outside the covers, in fear of Draco suddenly reappearing. It was strange how one thin duvet felt like it could protect you from everything. The sooner he got his eyes closed to the world the better, so he snuggled into his bed and lay there silently. But, unfortunately, his brain wasn't co-operating. It was listening out for any sounds that sounded out of place, anything that could indicate something was…in his room. He mentally shook his head and snuggled further under the covers, so only a tuft of dark hair could be seen. He felt stupid for being scared, but then at the same time he had just been chased around the school by a figment of his imagination, so had good reason to be.

No matter how hot and sexy that figment was.

There was a sudden knock on his door, and Harry froze mid-thought. It couldn't be Seamus or Dean, they were most likely still out. He slowly peered out from under his duvet and looked towards his door.

"Yes?" he called softly, wincing at how pathetic his voice sounded. To his horror though, as the door handle to his room turned, he realised he had forgot to lock the door.

"Oh! Sorry! I must have the wrong dorm!"

Harry looked at the boy who now stood in his doorway, the light from the corridor outside pouring into the room. He was quite tall, had a shock of ginger hair, and freckles all over his face.

"Err…no problem…" Harry said stupidly, and the boy grinned at him and closed the door.

Blinking into the growing darkness, Harry paused momentarily, before sprinting out from under the duvet, clicking over the lock on his door, and diving back into bed again.

"Well that answered that question then." Fred said, as George removed his hand from the door handle and stepped back, breathing a little heavier than usual.

"Sometimes I forget how much concentration that takes." George said, "Walking is so much easier than pushing things."

Draco had suddenly thought on the way up to Harry's room, that Fred and George's plan to scare Harry to stay in his room if he tried to escape wouldn't do much if he couldn't see them. He wondered, that if Harry could see him, maybe he could see other spirits too. So to test, George has suggested he walk in the room as a human would, using all his concentration to both walk and open and close the door at the same time. As it would seem, Harry certainly could see him.

"I wonder what that means." Draco said, finding it difficult to squash the jealously that he wasn't the only ghost Harry could see.

"Well," Fred thought slowly, "maybe because he's now got part of your soul, a _spirit_ soul, that he can see spirits too." Fred suggested. George looked at him. "I dunno." Fred shrugged, "Anyways, you ready?" he asked Draco, who was staring at Harry's door with a thoughtful look on his face.

Taking a shaky breath, Draco looked back at them, "Yes."

Harry was just starting to drift off to sleep when he heard something that made his eyes fly wide open under the duvet. His breathing stilled immediately, listening for that sound again. It was hot under his duvet now, he really needed air, but he felt his heart skip a few un-natural beats when he heard the sound again. It was a voice, he was sure of it, but he'd locked his door hadn't he? After that guy had walked in? He squeezed his eyes shut again, _There's no one there_, he thought to himself, over and over, but when a sound crept through the duvet that sounded like his swivel chair being pushed across the stone flooring onto the wall the other side, Harry ripped the duvet off him and switched on his bedside light so fast he knocked his glasses off the desk and onto the floor.

He sat there, his hand still on the switch to the light, and looked around for his chair, heart racing in his chest. The chair was indeed across the other side of his room by the foot of his bed. Harry stared at it, wide eyed, but before he could try and rationalize this in his mind, he heard the sound he'd heard before, now a lot clearer as he was out from under his bed covers.

"Hello Harry."

The soft male voice was coming from near his bedroom door, his _closed_ and _locked_ bedroom door, and as he tore his eyes slowly away from his chair, setting them upon his bedroom door, found one Draco Malfoy standing there.

Well, half standing there.

Harry watched, frozen, his hand still on the light switch, as Draco stepped the rest of the way forward through the closed bedroom door, and stood there in front of it, looking at Harry straight in the eyes.

Neither said a word. They just stared at each other. Draco didn't want to scare him, he really didn't, but there was so much he wanted to say to him, so much he wanted from him, that it was difficult to keep his excitement at bay. Draco continued to watch him, waiting not very patiently for his first reaction, but Harry did nothing but stare, his breathing shallow. Eventually, his mouth opened, then closed again, swallowed, then finally said in a very timid voice,

"Hello?"

A grin flashed across Draco's face, but he concealed it immediately. He took one tentative step forward, and Harry let go of the light switch and cautiously pressed himself up against the wall next to his bed, eyes still slightly fearful. Draco stopped.

"Wait, don't be afraid," he said gently, cringing at the overly used line, "I know this must seem very strange, but….um…" he'd been rehearsing what he'd say outside, but now his mind had gone blank. Harry was right there, could _see_ him, could _hear_ him. He'd waited so long, but now his mind seemed empty, "….well, I'm, I'm Dra- well you know who I am, except that, well, I'm a ghost and-"

Harry's eyes seemed to get wider, and he was pushing himself further against his wall.

"Ok, never mind about that bit." Draco said quickly, waving his hands in front of him in gesture, "Well, I don't really know how to begin, but, if you'll listen to me without running off I-"

"You're not here."

Draco stopped, eyes sad as he watched Harry close his own eyes from him, "You're not here."

"I _am_ here." Draco said tried timidly, "I've always been here", but Harry still didn't open his eyes. His lips moved quietly, whispering to himself that when he opened his eyes, Draco wouldn't be standing there.

For Draco though, it made his heart clench at Harry's reaction. He hadn't expected him to believe him, not straight away, but even knowing that, seeing his Harry close his eyes so he didn't have to look at him, to wish he wasn't here, made Draco want to crawl away, just so he didn't have to be a burden to him. But he wasn't going to give up, Harry was here, and he wasn't going to let him get away.

"I've been here in this castle for over 900 years Harry, waiting for you." He continued gently.

Harry finally opened his eyes at him, this time staring at him defiantly, "You. Are. Not. Here." He said slowly, "I am not having a conversation with a figment of my imagination."

He was talking straight to him, but Draco knew he was really only talking to himself, trying to convince himself that if he stared at him long enough repeating over and over again that he wasn't really here, that maybe he would finally disappear. Draco again tried to ignore the ache in his heart at that thought.

"You're not imagining me," Draco said, taking another step forward, but immediately stepping back when Harry flinched, "I lived here, in this castle, over 900 years ago. I was a Prince, heir to the throne of England. You were here too. Well, not _you_, but, the _other_ you. I mean, you're a reincarnation of the Harry I knew, the…the Harry that…." Draco trailed off at the utter look of confusion and worry on Harry's face, as he continued to stare at what he thought was an image of his madness made real.

Draco sighed, and smiled sadly, "Sorry, that sounds even worse doesn't it?"

Harry slowly nodded his head, his eyes still wide and not removing them from Draco's.

Draco sighed again, "Look. Very basically, I'm a ghost. I've been waiting to see you again. We were…we _are_…lovers." Draco bit his lip as he waited for Harry's response again.

This time Harry didn't recoil away from him, but instead closed his eyes gently, sighing as he hung his head, "That's it." He exclaimed, "The first person who has an interest in me, I'm going out with them." He opened his eyes, but now ignored Draco, and instead held his duvet up as he lay back underneath it, "I'm obviously so desperate I'm now hallucinating someone who's been in love with me for 900 years." He mumbled to himself, reaching out to his bedside light to turn it off and end this madness.

"N-no! I'm not a hallucination!" Draco shouted, running forward towards him, Harry snapping his hand away from the light and now recoiling away from him against the wall again. "I_am_ real!" Draco continued, now desperately trying to get this through to him before Harry lost his nerve and ran again, "Well, I'm not _real_ real, but, I _am_here! I mean I _was_ real, many years ago, I'm just not real enough to touch and-"

"You're really not making a great convincing argument here."

Draco stopped when Harry said that. It was the first line he'd actually spoken _to_ Draco, rather then trying to convince himself that he wasn't there.

Draco stared at him, Harry's very cautious eyes looking back at him, "I'm not an hallucination, I'm a…" Draco sighed rather pathetically, "I'm a ghost." He knew he was only repeating himself.

"You say that like it's supposed to explain things so much better." Harry said back, the duvet now over his shoulders as he tried to bury himself underneath it.

"I know this all sounds crazy," Draco said, "But I'm glad you're listening to me and not running away. I'm sorry for earlier, about startling you and chasing you around. I was just so happy to see you, well, for you to see _me_ that is. I never would have thought…"Draco suddenly trailed of, his heart feeling heavy at this thought, and he looked at the floor, "I never thought I'd be talking with you again."

Harry watched him carefully, a part of his brain laughing hysterically at what he was doing. Talking to a ghost, hallucination, or whatever this was, was apparently very entertaining for the part of him that was still trying to cling to sanity.

"Ok," Harry breathed slowly, "Let's say for a moment, that you _are_ a ghost. That I'm a reincarnation of someone 900 years old." Harry couldn't stop the small scoff that escaped his lips. Saying it out loud made it seem even more funny. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Waiting to see you again." Draco answered honestly.

"What am _I_ doing here?"

"Reincarnations are of those whose life was cut short un-naturally. You were…murdered, so you came back."

"And you've been waiting?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Draco felt his heart lifting. Harry was listening, was asking questions! He wanted to run and hug him, but not only would that probably scare the living daylights out of Harry, it wouldn't work anyway and would only find himself floating outside the castle wall as he fell through it.

"Because we were together, we loved each other, and I refused to go to Heaven until I saw you again."

"We were lovers?" Harry inquired with a raised eyebrow, as if he'd only registered what Draco had been talking about.

Draco nodded, "You lived here in the castle with your family."

"But you say you're a Prince?" Harry continued.

"Yes."

"Well I've never heard of a Prince called Draco." Harry said bluntly, "Who was the King?"

Draco paused. Since the castle had become a school of British History, he'd found out that there was no record of himself in the history books. No surprise there though. He'd never become King, he'd never done anything of any interest to the world.

"My father, King Lucius."

"He never had a son called Draco either." Harry said flatly, "When Lucius the 1st died in 1100 it was his son Henry the 1st who was crowned." Harry reeled off, the History student inside him brimming forth.

But Draco's eyes darkened at that name, as an unpleasant memory floated to the surface. Henry. Oh yes, he was a nasty little surprise when Draco came back to the castle as a ghost. All those threats from his mother about having him be-headed if he didn't marry, and for what? It didn't matter, when they had a back-up plan all along.

"That's true." Draco said through gritted teeth, looking back to the floor, "There's no records of me. I died when I was 19."

A silence filled the cooling air, before Harry spoke quietly, "How did you die?"

The annoyance over having that name spoke by Harry's lips faded, and Draco shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but in his eyes, "I killed myself."

He said it so quietly Harry barely heard him, but the pain that ripped through Harry's heart seemed so great he almost doubled over, and his scar starting aching again. He didn't know why this news was so heart-retching, but for that split moment he wanted to engulf Draco in his arms. He didn't move though, because the rational part of his brain was telling him he was still having a conversation with something that didn't exist.

"Why?" he asked, finding it almost straining to ask.

"Because you were killed," Draco said, still avoiding his eyes, "and I didn't want to live without you. I _couldn't_ live without you." he added sadly.

Harry looked at the same spot on the floor Draco was looking at, and thought quietly for a moment. Despite the fact a strong part of him was not believing any of this, that Draco didn't actually exist, another part of him was beginning to see the sense in everything he was saying. He'd been dreaming about Draco for as long as he could remember, and ever since he got here, to this specific castle, he'd felt like…like he was home. And of course the dreams of Draco had become so intense they felt more like memories then dreams. Every touch and caress of that perfect skin in his dreams felt more real every time. And Seamus telling him about him screaming out that he didn't want to leave the castle when he'd fallen unconscious at New Years Eve, and the random moments of feeling an overwhelming love for someone he had _thought_ he'd just made up. His scar, down by the Lake. Harry frowned. The voice he'd heard then, 'Let me die with you'. Listening to Draco talk now he suddenly realised, wasn't that the same voice?

A sudden gasp from Draco made Harry look back up at him. Draco was smiling wildly.

"Wait! If I can prove I once existed here, will you believe me?"

Harry blinked at him, "Err…yeah I guess." He said, though not knowing how he could possibly find something to prove that.

"I'll be right back!" Draco yelled, before sinking quickly through the floor. As soon as he disappeared though he came back up, "And don't go anywhere alright?"

Harry was staring wide eyed at the spot that had suddenly become empty, and that now held the torso of the blond Prince through the floor.

"….okay." he literally squeaked, at the sudden shock of seeing Draco sink into the floor before his eyes, but Draco just grinned at him, and disappeared through the floor again.

Harry slowly sat up against his headboard, still warily staring at the empty space on his floor. As the moments went by, he wondered if he'd actually really imagined that entire conversation, that Draco wasn't actually coming back.

"This is so stupid." He said a loud to himself, and rubbed his face with his hands.

It was amazing how much of this made sense, but it sounded so insane at the same time. He was worried for his own sanity, but despite the worry and fear inside him, had suddenly found talking to Draco rather…pleasant. It felt right. The whole time he was talking to him, despite the skepticism in his mind, Harry found himself wanting to hear Draco talk some more. He hadn't taken his eyes off him for some time there, and the more he looked at him, the more this strange, warm feeling inside him began to grow, like he'd met up with an old friend he hadn't seen in a very long time.

When it seemed Draco wasn't returning, Harry, rather oddly, felt rather sad. He frowned at this feeling, but turned to turn off his light anyway, telling himself to just forget everything and that he still needed that sleep, when suddenly Draco floated back through his floor. Harry was surprised at the lack of shock at watching him do that again, but the smile on Draco's face had gone, and he had his arms wrapped around himself looking entirely depressed.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, before the rational part of his brain could interfere.

"There's a room underneath the castle," Draco pouted, "your old bedroom, where I keep hundreds of journals. I wrote down everything that ever happened to me when I was alive, and everything since. I'd never tried to take one out the room before, I thought I could show you one, to prove I'm real." He sighed, "But, it would seem even though I can hold it, it's still a physical object, even if Hermione did make them so they couldn't fade in time, and I couldn't take it through the wall."

Harry didn't worry to ask who Hermione was, nor did he question anything else Draco had said, his brain couldn't seem to think of anything except to keep looking at Draco.

Why couldn't he take his eyes off him? He thought he should really be more freaked than he actually was about all this. It was only earlier that afternoon he was being chased around the castle by a Prince he thought he'd dreamt up, when now he was sitting here in bed, listening to him tell a story of how they were together 900 years ago, calmly watching him as if seeing him standing there was the most natural thing in the world.

He had an urge to touch him.

"I was hoping you could read about us, about everything I wrote about you." Draco continued, and Harry noted how soft his lips looked, unaware of the slightly mesmerized expression on his own face. "Now I don't know what I can do to make you believe me-"

Draco stopped when he looked up and saw Harry smiling softly at him. His breath caught in his throat at the loving look in those green eyes, and felt a bubbling feeling in his chest that he'd long since forgotten.

Draco smiled back at him, but still a touch of sadness to his lips, "You haven't looked at me like that in a long time."

The dazed smile on Harry's lips faded as he realised how he had been looking at him. He blinked and looked away. He hadn't listened to a single word Draco had just said. He'd just been staring at him, emotion sweeping through him. In that split moment, he felt like he was actually in love with this ghost in front of him, with Draco.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up, and found Draco leaning over the bed, his face close to his own. Harry surprised himself again by not jumping back, not flinching away. In fact, getting away from this gorgeous prince seemed to be the last thing on his mind now, and as he could see the silvery freckles in those eyes, wondered why on Earth he'd been trying to get away in the first place. Those eyes looked so caring, that platinum hair looked so silky, and at that moment, that warm feeling growing inside him seem to spread throughout his whole body, warming him from head to toe.

"I love you….don't I?" Harry inquired slowly, finding it strange to see a face so close to his, but feel no breath, no warmth.

Draco smiled again and nodded, "Hold out your hand." He said, and Harry found himself obeying, not even asking why. There was this strange power that had grown over him ever since Draco walked in the room. He wanted to do anything Draco wanted, even though he was still confused and worried, the most important thing seemed to be to just keep looking at him.

Draco sat down at the side of the bed, again Harry finding it strange there was no sink in the mattress, and looked at Harry's hand, palm face up. "There may be another way to help prove I'm real." Draco said, "I can't touch you, but from brushing your skin before, I think you…" but he trailed off. Instead, he seemed to study Harry's hand intently. Then, he slowly placed his own hand above Harry's, palm face down. Their hands were so close together, just one small movement downwards, and he'd be holding his hand. But he felt no warmth radiating from that palm, neither of them did. He looked up and met Harry's eyes, eyes that still hadn't removed themselves from his own.

"I've wanted to touch you so much," _So have I_, came the sudden unexplained thought in Harry's mind, "I've watched you ever since you got here. During the day….at night…" Draco added quietly, but Harry was still staring at him intently, apparently not catching the remark about his nighttime activities, "I can't feel you, but…" Draco slowly lowered his hand. His fingertips appeared to touch Harry's for a moment, before passing slowly through them. Harry sucked in a small breath at the sensation, as the rest of Draco's hand followed, falling straight through the hand he wanted to hold.

Draco felt nothing, but Harry did. It was a familiar feeling he'd had before, a small, comforting cool breeze seemed to flow over his hand, making his skin tingle. Immediately his memory brought back the first time he'd felt this, when he had been sitting in Professor Snape's office when he was giving him detention. That tingle at the back of his neck had made him smile back then. He never knew why, never thought anything of it at the time or since, but as he now stared at his own hand, the realization, however ridiculous it way to say out loud, began to sink in.

"You picked up my glasses didn't you?" he asked, looking back at Draco's eyes.

Draco knew what he was referring to, and smiled in response. Harry looked back down at his hand, and wanted to scoff at himself for thinking that he may actually be starting to believe what Draco was telling him.

Ghosts _couldn't_ exist, _surely_, but if Draco was really just something he was imagining, he couldn't have felt his hand pass through his own like that. His window was closed, his door was shut, so there was no breeze for him to feel.

"Can I touch your hair?"

Harry blinked at him, "What?"

"It's just…" Draco said, slowly raising his arm, watching for any negative reaction from Harry, "Hair gets ruffled when spirits touch it."

Harry just stared at him, and didn't pull back. Instead he actually found his heart beating a little faster in his chest, as Draco gently brushed his fingers through the bangs of hair falling over his forehead, and low and behold, they ruffled as if caught in a gentle breeze.

Draco was so close to him now, he looked so focused, like he was trying with all his heart to actually touch him, to feel him, and watched as the sadness took over those grey eyes, when no matter what he did, he couldn't feel a thing. His hand dropped to his side again, and Harry released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"I felt that." He breathed softly, staring intently into Draco's as eyes as he smiled at him.

"Good." Draco whispered, and found himself absently leaning forward a little more, licking his lips as his eyes looked down to Harry's.

Something was different, the atmosphere between them had changed. He hadn't seen those lips this close for such a long time. His memory of kissing Harry at New Years let him remember what they felt like. Those soft, caring lips upon his own, and he didn't realize he was still leaning towards them.

Harry saw what Draco was doing, but suddenly didn't care. His dream boyfriend, real or not, had that certain look in his eyes, leaning towards him in that certain way, like he was going to…

Harry's heart fluttered in his chest, and he automatically closed his eyes. A part of him was asking himself what the hell he thought he was doing, but that voice soon drifted away when he suddenly felt that familiar cooling breeze on his lips.

Even though he couldn't feel anything, for Draco time seemed to stand still. He kept his eyes open, the only proof he had that he was, in one way or another, kissing Harry. He kept perfectly still, his own lips brushing softly through Harry's, as Harry just sat there, eyes closed, his lips tingling.

The urge to hold Draco was growing dramatically. Harry didn't want him to be a dream, didn't want him to be ghost or whatever this was. He'd dreamt about him, and now he was here. He slowly raised his arm as if to touch Draco's shoulder, but as his fingers brushed through, that tingling sensation washing over his hand again, he opened his eyes.

Draco was staring back at him, but his eyes looked unbelievably sad. Slowly Draco pulled away, that coolness on Harry's lips fading, and he looked at him curiously.

"Thank you." Draco said quietly, glancing at the floor.

It was so wonderful, yet so heart retching at the same time. Harry was here, even let him kiss him, but he couldn't feel a thing. He couldn't feel those lips, couldn't feel the warmth or pressure. All he could see was the blissful face Harry made when he closed his eyes, but that made it all worth while. All Harry would ever be able to feel is that soft breeze, but it was still Draco making it, and to see Harry so willingly close his eyes like that, when only a few hours before thought he was going insane, made the sadness in his heart lift, and let a genuine smile escape on Draco's lips.

"I'm glad you're here." Draco said, smiling at Harry warmly, "If I come back again tomorrow, will you keep listening? I don't want to over run you tonight, but I'll tell you everything tomorrow."

Harry nodded mutely. Draco held his gaze for a moment, before slowly getting up and walking towards the door.

"Wait!"

The word was out of Harry's mouth before he realized he said it, and Draco turned around, surprise evident on his face, "I…" but Harry had no idea what he wanted to say, he didn't even know why he'd shouted that out. Something was niggling at him at the back of his mind. He couldn't get rid of this feeling of wanting to keep Draco near him. It suddenly didn't seem to matter whether he was real or not, he just wanted him to stay, he wanted to…touch him. But he couldn't.

Instead, Harry just nodded again, a little dumbfounded, but somehow accepting what had just happened anyway.

"Goodnight Harry," Draco said, a small happy smile on his lips, and he turned and walked through the door, disappearing.

Harry sat there staring blankly at his now empty room, his heart strangely calm in his chest. Part of him wanted to get out of bed and open the door, to see if Draco was still standing there, but he didn't. As if in a trance, he lay back under his duvet, pulling it up under his chin. He lay there staring into the darkness in his room, eyes fixed on his bedroom door.

"This is insane." He whispered to himself, but that didn't stop a faint smile rise to his lips.

_**2nd October 1098**_

Sometimes Draco amazed himself.

He'd somehow managed to put off the wedding to Holly until Spring next year. His now rather deluded father seemed to be agreeing to anything anyone said lately, laying in bed getting paler by the day. The royal doctors had long since given up on what was wrong, had tried every known cure to every known illness, but nothing worked. Draco wondered if he'd even be alive for when he got married, but he didn't really care either way.

He'd gone to visit his father after his mother had once again annoyed him to no end with her constant reminders for going to see him, and in a huff Draco had walked into the overly stuffy bed chambers of his father, to see him sitting up in his bed pulling gently at the tied drapes around one side of his bed, staring up at them with a very dazed expression. Draco had raised a curious eyebrow at his father, and when announcing his arrival to him, had simply got a "Draco, come and pick these flowers for me" in return. It was at that point Draco had formulated his plan. If he could get the wedding as far away as possible, it would give Harry more time to come to terms with what was happening, instead of feeling rushed and start worrying if he was doing the right thing again. Draco, quite casually, requested his wedding be put back, and after a few more strange sentences from Lucius, including him asking if Draco had returned from France yet, the words, "I had a Spring wedding once," finally fell from his lips, and Draco took that as a yes.

Once his father had agreed, his mother was easy pickens. She'd turned her nose up immediately at Draco's suggestion of having a Spring time wedding, wanting her son to have been married months ago preferably, but when Draco dropped in the conversation that his father had already agreed to it, saw her teeth clench and very strained, "Very well" pass her lips. Deluded or not, Lucius was still the King, and what his mother wanted didn't matter if the King wanted something different. And so, the wedding plans had been put on hold. The invites were frozen, and the wedding attire designs were placed into dusty draws.

Things finally seemed to be going his way. He had a father who'd agree to anything he wanted without realizing it, a mother who couldn't do anything about it, and most importantly, he had Harry back.

Speaking of Harry, it was amazing really, how quickly their relationship had slipped back into normality. They had been apart for over 3 months, but as soon as they were together again it was as if nothing had ever happened. If it was possible, Harry had been even _more_ loving towards Draco, maybe feeling a little guilty for what had happened. Draco didn't know why, but he _certainly_ didn't mind. After Harry's shoulder had healed, that very night Harry had crept up through their secret passageway, and had quite literally swept Draco into his arms. This time there was none of Harry's usual cheekiness or grins, this time it was just pure love in those eyes. Draco had never felt so wanted before. Every inch of his skin had been covered with kisses and caresses, those emerald eyes, shining in the dim candle light, never once gazing away from his body. For hours into the night all they did was re-discover each other, and as Draco lay there, his body aching with release and lust, all he could hear were Harry's whispered words: how he would never leave him, how he loved him, how there was nothing that could take him away from him again. Draco couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the power those simple words held, and he'd chocked back a sob, clasping onto Harry and never wanting to let go.

For nights afterwards Harry had always been the one to come up to Draco's room first, as if he couldn't wait any longer. Draco realized just how much Harry missed him, how difficult it really had been to try and stay with his sister for her happiness rather then to pursue his own. He also understood that Harry was still coming to terms with that fact that he really would have to lie openly to his sister, cheating with her future husband. He'd catch him looking a little too deep in thought for Draco's liking, but when Harry noticed his concern, would flash him one of those gorgeous smiles, and kiss away any fears. As Holly always seemed to say, Harry was about as un-selfish as anyone could be, so in Draco's mind maybe it was about time he found something good for himself for a change. Harry had always put his sister and his parents before himself, so it was about time he was allowed to be happy with something he wanted.

Draco smiled fondly to himself as he and his favourite riding horse were led out the stables onto the grass around the castle, the young stable boy holding the reigns, and Sirius riding on a second horse behind him. It was time for his weekly ride, and Harry, as always, was already out in the forest waiting for him. His weekly ride was simply a chance to be alone with Harry without fear of being caught. It was a private forest for the royals, and his father used to lead many a hunt through these trees, but of course now couldn't even get out of bed. He remembered his father taking him along on one of his hunts when he was a boy, the King refusing to the let the archers teach him how to hunt and insisted he taught him himself. Lucius was the best archer out of all of them anyway, could hit a deer so far away that all the young Draco could swear he saw was just the winding maze of trees in front of him, but Lucius never missed. Draco remembered the first time he'd shot his first kill. It was only an already injured deer, lying in a stream of sunlight filtering through the thick trees, but the proud look on his fathers face had made him beam with pride. Thinking about it, that was the only time Draco had seen his father look at him like that. The occasional hunt together was the only time he had ever saw his father.

"Henry! Hurry up! The soldiers are moving out and we need these horses ready!"

Draco snapped out of his reminiscing as the gruff voice shouted out from the stable behind him, and the thin looking stable boy leading his horse jumped and turned around, "Yes Sir!" he shouted, leading Draco a little further, before handing the reigns to him, bowing low, and running back to the stables. Paying no attention to him, Draco whipped the reigns and horse leapt forward, its hooves pounding softly on the grass, leading him out towards the trees.

_**Limbo – 'The Hall of Wandering Souls' Division.**_

Ron stood, arms crossed, staring out of his large paned office window, the never ending plateau of white going on for as far as the eye can see, unable to tell the difference between ground and air. Even though going down to Earth was considered work and his job, he liked going down there because it was the only time he got to see a world of colours. In Heaven the world was how you wanted it to be, a forest, a beach, a cozy cottage in the county, whatever anyone wanted, but Limbo was neutral, Limbo was neither good, nor bad. Limbo was white. His office was white, his desk was white, the pencil on his desk was white, everyone's robes where white, heck the Divisions _cat_ was white! Limbo was basically very _very_ boring, and Ron even found himself grateful he had such a noticeable hair colour. He did of course have his own clothes to wear when not at work, normal coloured clothes, but he was so very rarely out of his white robes he wouldn't be surprised the next time he opened his white wardrobe that they'd be white spiders making nests in there.

"He doesn't know about the side effect does he?"

Ron jumped in surprised and turned quickly at the female voice behind him,

"I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about!" he blurted out.

He received a raised eyebrow in response, "Ron you are the worst liar in the After Life. You come running into my office when I call to see you and the first thing out of your mouth is "It wasn't my fault!", then ramble on for 10 minutes explaining that outburst away when all I'd called you in for was to give you your holiday request back."

Ron flinched again at his own stupidity. "Ah". He turned and went back to staring out his window, watching a small group of cherubs rush past, laughing at something un-heard.

"I should be furious with you." continued the stern voice, "When I told Blaise I quite literally had to hold him back from trying to rip the wings off your back. Letting Draco do a Soul Share is the most irresponsible act you have ever done in your Angel career and I _should_ rip your wings off really!"

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed, turning round to face his guest again, "I thought you said you _should_ be furious Hermione? As in, you're _not_!"

"I'm not…it's my fault." She said, her voice softening, her dark brown eyes looking towards the floor.

Ron stared at her, her glittering golden wings seeming hunch in guilt, "How the hell do you work that out?"

"I've been so piled up with paperwork, hiring and training other angels, yelling at Blaise, Higher Demons can be _such_ a handful at times, and…well," she paused, looking rather sheepish, "…very selfishly going out with you, I didn't give the order in time."

"To take him to be judged." Ron said knowingly.

"No."

Ok, well Ron hadn't been expecting _that_, "No? Well what other order?"

"It's not his time to return yet."

"But they're together! I found Harry's soul, shouldn't Draco come back now?"

""_I'll wait until I meet Harry again_.", those were his words before he got sent back to Earth as a Spirit right?" she said, looking back up at him..

"Yeah."

"Well, now you've found Harry's soul, now they are together, _seeing_ Harry, doesn't count as _meeting_ him."

She stared at him through her eyelashes, Ron staring back at her a moment longer, trying to sink in exactly what she was trying to tell him, before his eyes went wide with realization, "You mean…?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Ron sat down at the sill of his window, eyes wide, "Wow. I've never had to give that to a Spirit before. But, when he finds out what that side effect was from the Soul Share, when he has to come back up to Limbo, Draco…he'll…well …" Ron sighed and covered his face with his hand, "Man I don't wanna be around when it happens. As the Soul Share worked its obvious Harry _was_ going to die after all so…" Ron closed his eyes and clenched his teeth angrily, "The stupid idiot rushed in and I couldn't _tell him_!" he shouted, banging his fist down on the window sill beside him. "Isn't there anything you can do to stop it? If anyone can you can Hermione." He pleaded with her.

Hermione looked up at him sadly, "What one does with their own soul is up to them. You tried to warn him, but he rushed in. There's nothing I nor you can do."

There was an ucomfortable silence between them.

"Are you going to tell him what the side effect was?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Are you kidding?" Ron exclaimed, horrified, "I'm not telling him now, it would destroy him! Besides there'd be no point. Let him be happy, it'll be his last chance for a long time again."

There was a soft meow coming from the office door, and Hermione turned to see the Divisions white cat slinking round the corner. With gloomy eyes, she rose from Ron's desk and bent down to pick it up.

"I'm giving you the order now Ron." She said, her back to him.

Ron sighed, "Do I have to do it now? I know Draco will be ecstatically happy but…he won't know what'll happen when he's sent back here."

"No. In fact, I'd suggest you don't." she said, scratching the cat behind its ears, "Now that Harry will be able to see Draco, let them get to know each other again, it'll waste less time for them then when it happens."

"I take it as soon as it's done, you'll give the order to take Draco to be judged?"

Hermione paused, and closed her eyes, "Yes."

Ron swore under his breath, "I can't do this. I can't go down there and pretend everything's fine, it was difficult enough right after he'd done the bloody Soul Share!" Ron racked a hand through his hair in frustration, "Can't I be re-assigned?" he asked hopefully.

"No."

Ron stared at his desk for a moment, before standing up again and turning to look outside his window, watching the emptiness spread on forever, and subconsciously curled his wings around himself.

"This isn't going to have a happy ending is it?"

Hermione's silence said everything.

To Be Continued…

AN: Okay, if you want to know if this actually has a happy ending or not, follow my fanfic community link on my profile. There's notes there on this chapter anyway.


	14. Chapter 13: The Ring

**Chapter 13: The Ring**

As the gentle soothing sound of early morning birds twittering into the morning air reached Harry's ears, he groaned in annoyance and squeezed his eyes tighter away from the seeping light.

"Go 'way." He mumbled to the sun, for it had just interrupted one of his best Draco-related dreams to date.

The images were still fresh behind his eyelids, but as he tried to cling to them, the brightening sun was making its best attempt to wake him up, and with a growl of frustration Harry threw the covers away from him and slowly opened his eyes, blinking and glaring up at the wooden rafters of the ceiling. He felt hot, and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

He closed his eyes again and rested the back of his hand over his eyelids. A very naked Draco still smiled at him from behind them, and he smiled to himself when he realised he had yet again awoken to a little "problem" down below. In noticing that problem he also realised he was still wearing his clothes from last night. He reached across to grab his glasses from his bedside table, but turned when he found they weren't there. He peered over the edge of his bed to find them sitting on the floor, and that's when the memory hit him.

Slowly he looked across at his swivel chair, that was still at the other side of the room, and blinked at it, a small frown to his eyes.

"Didn't I dream that?" he asked himself, as memories of sitting here in bed talking to a ghost Draco filled his mind.

"OI HARRY!"

Harry jumped slightly when Seamus's voice rang out with him hammering on his bedroom door, "I know it's a Sunday mate, but we've got homework to do!"

"Can't a guy have a lie in?" Harry inquired back, yawning into his hand, his brain having decided everything _was_ a dream and he must have pushed his chair away last night by accident, same with his glasses.

"Lie in? It's nearly 1 in the afternoon! Come on, I need to copy your work for Professor Lupin, you did say you were going to do it yesterday and I've totally forgotten everything about the last class and I could…"

But Harry wasn't listening to Seamus. As he'd yawned into his hand, he'd brushed his fingers against his lips, and another memory of him kissing that ghost Draco came to mind, and remembered the cool tingling on his lips as he'd done it.

As Seamus continued to waffle on behind his door, Harry shook his head and removed his fingers from his lips, "It's got to be a dream." He dismissed, and reached down and picked up his glasses, ignoring the other memory that told him Draco had once picked up his glasses too.

* * *

Sunday passed with nothing out of the ordinary, though Harry found himself more than once looking around the room he was in checking if Draco was there. Monday morning also came as usual, and Harry had now completely dismissed his so-called "memories" of his ghost Draco. Seamus had asked why he had called him Draco outside their rooms, and Harry had simply explained he really had been over tired, and even joked about thinking he had seen Draco around the castle. Seamus raised a concerned eyebrow at this news, but let it slid as Harry said everything was fine after he had slept, and as he had slept for nearly half the day Seamus suspected Harry had needed that and accepted this explanation. They'd spent the rest of their free moments talking about Zach Smith, who still hadn't returned from hospital.

Things were back to normal again, and it was back to Professor Lupin's class, a double lesson this time. Professor Lupin and Professor Snape technically worked together, though rarely actually worked _to-_gether. Snape was the one down in the labs, cleaning and restoring the artefacts that were brought back to the castle, which were then passed on to Lupin, who would show the class and teach them about their history. The first past of their lesson had been focused on a statue that had been un-earthed in what they believed was an old Roman farming site down in Dorset. They'd discussed it, drawn parts of it for notes, asked questions and received their answers, and the second part of the lesson had everyone with their heads in their books, researching the suggested period. Professor Lupin usually let them get a head start in their homework, letting them do what could be researched in class with the small bookcase in the classroom, and doing the rest for their actual homework with research from the library.

This is where Harry sat now, sitting at the side of the class by the high window, running his fingers down the text of page 49 searching for a date he knew was in here but couldn't remember where it was. Although there was still snow outside, the sunlight itself was comfortably warm, and shone on Harry as he furrowed his brow in annoyance that he couldn't find this date.

"Harry?"

Harry's finger paused on the book, and he stared at its pages, not reading a word.

"Harry?" came the whispered voice again, but it wasn't Seamus's voice, or Dean's. Just to make sure he glanced to his right, and just as he thought his two friends were like him, heads in their books, reading or writing.

"Why am I whispering no one can here me. _Harry_!"

Harry looked up in alarm towards the voice, and stared at his Prince sitting on Professor Lupin's desk, Lupin having no idea there was someone there, and had in fact reached for a biro sitting on the part of the desk where Draco was sitting. Draco frowned at the intrusion through his hip, and hopped off the desk, smiling at Harry.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you yesterday like I said." He said, walking towards him, "The twins thought perhaps it was best to give you a day and not come running back again. Just to make sure you were calm and ready to see me again." Draco sat at the edge of Seamus's desk, and grinned at Harry beside him, who hadn't once removed his wide eyes from him.

This…was not happening. Harry's heart seemed to have stopped beating, too much shock for it to take. Draco was here…again…_oh god_…

When Draco noticed the wary and worried expression in Harry's eyes, he glared. Not at Harry, but at thoughts of the twins. "Oh I knew it." He sighed, crossing his arms and looking away, "I TOLD them I thought leaving it another day would just make you dismiss me as a dream or something." He turned back to Harry, who was still staring at him, everyone else in the class un-aware of both Draco, and Harry apparently staring into the air at nothing.

"I'm not a dream." Draco said softly, "You remember everything I said to you right?"

Harry nodded dumbly. Oh he remembered alright, he just thought he'd dreamt it all. Slowly Harry looked back down at his desk, eyes still wide, and rested his hand on his forehead to shield his eyesight from Draco. He stared back down at his book, trying to pretend Draco wasn't there, and trying to pretend he was now concentrating back on his work.

Draco glared again. 'You don't wanna scare him' they said, 'Give him another day' they said, 'He'll listen more' they said. Draco had lost count on how many times in his after life he'd wanted to kill Fred and George for a second time. This was another one of those times.

"I'm not going away Harry." Draco said sternly, getting off the desk and walking in front of Harry between his desk and the seat of the boy in front of him.

"Go away." Harry whispered, his eyes betraying him and flickering up to look at Draco standing before him, before hunching his shoulders more and pressing further towards his book. He really didn't need to be having hallucinations in the middle of class. If he hadn't dreamt this ghost Draco, then he would have thought after all that sleep he had yesterday that any reason for him hallucinating from tiredness would have gone, so to see Draco still standing here was a little disconcerting.

"No," Draco said firmly, before crouching down so his eyeline was level with Harry's desk, and peered up at him as he tried to glare at his own history book.

Harry's eyes flicked towards him again, his glare now on Draco, "Go. Away." He repeated through clenched teeth as quietly as possible, and risked a glance at Seamus who was still busily writing.

"We kissed each other remember? Sort of." Draco said, and Harry's eyes unwillingly softened. Not only because he did indeed remember that, but because of the way Draco was looking at him reminded him all too well of his dreams about him, including another one last night, and felt a sudden tightening in his throat and a warmth that pooled into his groin.

He coughed awkwardly and stared back down at his book.

Draco grinned slyly to himself. He was well aware Harry couldn't say or do anything in class, which was part of the reason he came. Harry wouldn't be able to run away if he thought he had dreamt him, which thanks to twins, _again_, seemed to have been the case.

"I'm not going anywhere Harry. I'm not a dream and I'm not a hallucination."

Harry continued to pretend he wasn't there, and grabbed his biro and started writing, something, _anything_. Draco smirked to himself, and folding his arms on Harry's desk, resting his head on his hands, he peered up at him again, Harry trying to ignore how close he was.

"Did you dream about me again last night?" Draco purred.

Harry's biro slid slightly on the paper, and Draco bit his bottom lip grinning as a faint pinkness rose to Harry's cheeks. Harry continued to ignore him.

"I thought so." Draco continued, as Harry swallowed hard and pretended to look for something in his history book again.

"You dream about me all the time don't you?" Draco said again, in his best come-hither voice, "Every night you dream about me. I can only imagine what you're doing to me in those dreams, especially with the way you groan out my name…"

Harry's breathing became shallower. He wished this hallucination or whatever this was would shut up. He was bringing back images he could really do without in class.

"I watch you, you know…when you think of me. When you run your hands all over yourself thinking they're mine…" He didn't of course, he always left just in time, but then Harry didn't know that, and with the almightily blush that spread across Harry's cheeks at that comment, Draco knew he was right.

He grinned again. This was becoming quite fun.

"But of course I _remember_ what you used to do to me, and what I used to do to you. You loved to kiss my neck, and then you'd run your tongue, _slowly,_"Draco emphasized, and Harry seemed to shift uncomfortably in his chair "_all_ the way down. Over my collar bone, across my chest, you'd always linger at my nipples…" Harry's eyes darkened, his eyes no longer reading any text in the book though still staring relentlessly at it, "…down _further_ and _further_, and then you'd look at me, and your eyes would be so dark…just like they are now…" he teased, "and then you'd smile, and you'd hold down my hips gently because you knew I'd only try and buck into your month when your lips would finally close around-"

But Draco didn't get to finish his sentence because Harry suddenly shot up from his chair, the chair flying backwards into the desk behind him, and every face in the room looking up in shock at the sudden noise.

"P-professor!" Harry stumbled, his face beet red and holding one of his books at a suspicious groin level, "I-I have a bit of headache, is it ok i-if I get some aspirin from the Nurse?"

Professor Lupin took one look at Harry's red and seemingly flustered face, and frowned in concern, "Yes of course. Actually you look a bit flushed Harry, take your time."

"Thank you!" and with that he legged it out the room, leaving his other books, biros and rulers behind on his desk. Draco watched him go, smiling rather smugly to himself as Seamus and Dean exchanged shrugs.

Even after 900 years, he still had the ability to drive Harry wild.

But now for further action. He'd been planning this yesterday, and now he'd made contact again, he needed to do something to try and jog a memory out of Harry, something to perhaps help him believe Draco was telling the truth. He needed to take him somewhere that had already inspired some reaction out of him, and Draco knew just the place, for both happy, and sad memories.

* * *

After taking a de-tour to actually _get_ some aspirin from the Hospital Wing just in case Professor Lupin checked, Harry didn't stop running till he got back to his bedroom. He had no intention of returning to class, and had indeed hid for a short while before heading into the Hospital Wing willing his forming erection to go away!

He was too confused and turned on to think about what the hell was really going on. All he knew was that one way or another Draco was here, and teasing him like that in class was not helping the situation.

He flopped down in his swivel chair and took his glasses off, before dropping his head to his desk, his laptop whirring away to one side as it downloaded a movie that Seamus wanted to watch that for whatever reason his own laptop wasn't co-operating with.

"I've officially gone mad." He said to himself, his voice slightly muffled as he spoke to the wood. If Draco was a hallucination, he really was mad, but if Draco really was a ghost, that still made him mad because it seemed no one else could see him, so even if he told someone there was a ghost here they'd think he was mad. He wouldn't win.

Was Draco really a ghost rather then just someone he'd made up? He picked his head up from his desk and looked down at his hands. He remembered Draco running his hand through his own, and through his hair, and feeling that tingling and the small gush of comforting air. He'd almost believed Draco that night that he was a ghost, but after not seeing him again, he'd dismissed it. But again, the dreams felt so real, as if he'd lived them out one day, and now that Draco was here, was talking to him, it made his heart flutter in ways it had never done before.

Seamus would have taken the right mick out of him if he could hear him talking like this, like a love-struck teenager, but it was still how he felt. Draco had been with him his whole life in his dreams, and had, apparently, been with him in another life as well.

Harry didn't believe in reincarnation, it was a ridiculous idea, but the more he thought of Draco, the more he started to believe. He didn't know why, but every time he thought of believing Draco, his scar would itch, as if it was trying to tell him, "Yes! Yes he is a ghost! Yes you are a reincarnation of the Princes lover 900 years ago! Yes I know it sounds stupid but you're stupid to be taking this long to realise it!" He didn't know why his scar would itch at all, but when it did it just seem to coincide with him thinking about Draco, and as he'd been thinking about Draco a lot, he'd got used to the slight ache now and it didn't bother him too much anymore.

Harry reluctantly blushed as the things Draco was saying to him in class came back to mind, and he got out of his chair, slightly flustered and not really knowing what to do with himself. Everything Draco was saying was exactly what his dreams usual were, and hearing him saying them out loud in that obviously deliberately seductive voice, peering up at him through those mesmerizing silver eyes, Harry had totally lost his mind to those images. No one else could hear what he was saying (thank God!), and all he could do was sit there and get more and more turned on as his dream Prince described what he had been doing in his dreams, and just before he had got up from his chair, what he had wanted to do to Draco right there and then across any desk available!

If Draco really was here, it was maddening because he couldn't touch him. He'd wanted to grab him sitting there, grab him and snog him senseless just to shut him up, but if he'd reached across and lunged forward for him all he would have done was given the boy in front of him a rather unwanted hug from behind.

Harry found his breath quickening again as his memories of his dream happily carried on from where Draco had left off, and he groaned to himself, in both annoyance and pleasure, and rolled over on his front burying his head in his pillow.

"I'm back again."

Harry flinched slightly in surprise before groaning yet again into his pillow, "Oh please go away." He pleaded to the familiar voice coming from the end of his bed, but Draco was not backing down.

He walked over to Harry and sat down on his chair, and reaching out, gently brushed his fingers through Harry's hair, making it ruffle slightly with the breeze. Harry looked up from his pillow, his eyes looking lost and so adorable Draco paused and blinked as his heart leapt to his throat.

"I really want you to remember me," Draco eventually said, aware of the pinkness on his own cheeks as Harry looked at him, "There's a tree, down by the Lake, where we used to sit together. It was near where you collapsed that day. I was thinking that maybe…maybe you might remember something if you go down there with me?"

Harry continued to stare at him, eyes still worried at what he was seeing and hearing, but the part of him that was still wanting to pin Draco to the nearest flat surface was still bubbling away inside him, and at looking at Draco now, sitting there in his ruffled shirt and his green cloak, looking back at him like he was the most precious thing in the world, Harry found himself having trouble forming sentences.

"Okay." He sighed in defeat, and tried to squash the I-want-to-pounce-on-Draco feeling when Draco smiled back at him brightly.

_**28th February 1099**_

Draco stood bundled up in his white fur cloak, pressing himself against Harry's chest as they stood together under the weeping willow tree by the lake. It was freezing outside, the young tree only giving very slight shelter to the wind howling around the grounds, throwing snow in every direction, but at the moment it was difficult to be alone together.

Holly had been spending more and more time with Draco, now she was being taught the ways of the royals and what was to be expected of her when she became Queen. They did not share a room thank goodness, as they were not yet wed, and Draco was trying not to think about what would happen about bedding arrangements after they were. A part of him knew that was one thing he would not be able to get away from.

He would have to share his bed with Holly, meaning Harry wouldn't be able to spontaneously come up their secret passageway in case they wouldn't be alone. But at the same time he knew his mother had her own chambers too, for when the King had wished privacy, and was to leave with no questioning, so he'd be able to get away with it sometimes. Holly had also been given her own royal chambers now. Most likely he'd have to be the one to go down to Harry now, in case Holly would walk in to his bedroom unannounced one day, but that didn't bother Draco at all. It was Harry he wanted to see, he didn't care which bedroom they were in.

He also realized, though he had been trying to ignore this too, what would happen when his mother brought up the subject of producing an heir to the throne. Draco could easily refuse casual sex, that was not a Queen's job, as his deluded father had unknowingly told him in an outburst a few weeks ago, "I never let your mother come anywhere near me when we were married. I'm sure she was seeing someone else, didn't want her to touch me. Not a Queen's job! They're women to be there when wanted, nothing more. Had the same problem with a ferret once…" Draco had tried to make a look of surprise pass on his features at the mention of his mother seeing someone else. She had been seeing Sirius after all before the wedding. But at some point Draco knew he would have to have a son with Holly, but thinking of that at the moment just made his brain hurt. He didn't want to think about touching Holly like that. Besides, that wouldn't have to happen for a long while yet.

Speaking of Sirius, neither of them had mentioned anything about Draco over hearing him talking with Harry. Draco had only mentioned it to Harry once, who looked away embarrassed that he'd been overheard saying such things, but Draco had loved him even more for it. Sirius either didn't mind or hadn't dared speak to him about it. He continued his bodyguard duties as usual, and now knowing Sirius was in fact wishing for he and Harry to be together, felt no more worry of kissing Harry in front of him. Not that he'd cared in the first place, but that wasn't the point. Sirius had actually been very handy to have around now Holly was around more often. He'd warned them quite a few times that Holly was near, just in time for when she walked in the door.

Harry meanwhile had been doting on his sister a lot. Draco didn't mind, it was after all his own way of apologising for something she knew nothing about, and as long as it kept him wanting to stay with Draco, Draco practically encouraged it. Harry had insisted on making his sister's wedding dress, to which she was of course overly delighted. Draco had been overwhelmed with jealously when Harry had told him, but before he could even ask if Harry would make his too, Harry had kissed the question away and told him he'd spoken to his father and said he wanted to make Draco's too.

The date for the wedding had now been set. Draco was to be wed to Holly on the 21st April. Harry had been surprisingly calm about it, and the only sign that he had indeed heard about the wedding date was when Draco had suddenly found himself pulled into a random empty room one day when walking down an equally empty corridor, and had had Harry's tongue in his mouth so quickly and for such a happily long time, that Draco needed to hold onto the corridor wall for support when he'd headed off afterwards, trying to re-arrange his shirt into some orderly fashion and re-flatten his hair. Sirius had of course seen all this, but followed along behind his Highness as usual, his face impassive.

For now though, on a day where either Holly or Draco's mother seemed to be around them constantly, Harry and Draco had managed to sneak away down to the only place they knew they wouldn't be disturbed, Draco's private area along the lake under the willow tree. They stood together in the snow, Draco's long fur cloak wrapped around Harry's shoulders too, as they stood there snuggled together away from the prying eyes of the castle.

"Harry, I've been thinking." Draco said, his hands nice and warm between his cloak and Harry's body, "When you make my wedding attire, can you do something with oak leaves? A pattern or something?"

Harry frowned, and leaned back a little so he could see Draco's face, "Why oak leaves?"

Draco looked at him fondly as Harry brushed a stray snowflake out of Draco's hair, Harry's own dotted with snowflakes that had got past the protective cover of the tree.

"Because it'll remind me even more of you. Your hair colour," he said, suggesting with a nod of his head, "for the oak, and the green leaves for your eyes."

Harry stared at him disbelievingly for a moment, before the honesty in Draco's eyes made him chuckle and he held the blond tighter, nuzzling his neck, "Alright, I'll think of something."

Draco smiled in success and melted into Harry's embrace, closing his eyes, their warmth together keeping the chill at bay. They had so many secrets together from the world. To everyone else, they would think his wedding attire would be a simple pattern, to coincide with the newly forming leaves of the spring perhaps, but only Draco would know that it reminded him not of spring, but of the brother of the woman he was marrying.

"Y-you know," Harry suddenly said, seeming nervous, "You're not the only one who's been thinking, and…and I want to give you something and…to ask you something."

Draco opened his eyes, peering over the fluttering fur of his cloak on Harry's shoulder, "And what might that be?" he asked, feeling so sleepily happy just standing here like this.

But annoyingly Harry felt it necessary to move at this point, and his embrace relaxed around him, moving back a little. The cloak fell from Harry's shoulders back down behind Draco again, but he was still wrapped up in his own warm clothing, and Draco watched curiously as Harry, again seemingly nervous, reached into his pocket and brought out something held securely in his fist. He stared at it for a moment, Draco waiting, before he looked up at him.

"I've been saving up my money so I could buy this for you. I-It's not much, it's quite plain actually, but…" he sighed, apparently trying to calm his nerves. Draco hadn't a clue what he was trying to say. "I know I didn't really say anything when I found out about the wedding date," he began again, and Draco couldn't help but grin and agree he certainly hadn't 'said' much at all. "But…I-I guess I've kind of become…jealous…now that I know for sure it's going ahead and…and don't laugh," he asked, flickering his eyes up to Draco's, "but I-I just wanted to be the one to give you this first."

With that he took Draco's hand and placed his fist on the palm, opening his hand and letting the small object fall onto Draco's hand.

Draco stared at the small silver ring now sitting in his palm. It was a plain ring, no markings of any kind, no jewels, just plain and ordinary silver. It sparkled with the falling snowflakes, the reflecting white making the small ring shimmer and glistening just like the snow itself.

Draco had lost any breath to speak with.

"I know it's silly, but I guess I wanted to…to marry you before anyone else did. I-I mean I know we can't, but I thought maybe the ring could…could at least mean that I would have done i-if I could and…" he trailed off when Draco had still done nothing but stare at the ring. "I love you Draco." Harry said more confidently, and Draco finally looked up at him, his eyes wide with shock as he held this tiny little ring. "If I could have done I would have married you months ago. As it happens I can't, but that doesn't mean I don't want to spend forever with you because….'cause I do…" he trailed off again, glancing away bashfully.

Draco's mind had gone completely blank, save for one phrase; In one way or another, Harry was asking him to marry him. Draco clasped the ring in his hand, biting his bottom lip as he tried to force his grin back, and instead flicked his hair away from his eyes and studied the bashful Harry, Harry glancing back at him when he still didn't say anything.

"You know that technically we'd need a Priest and witnesses to be officially married, legal or not?"

Harry looked at the show on the ground again, "I know, it's a stupid ide-"

"-So I'm pretty sure there's a priest somewhere in the castle, that's near enough, and as for witnesses, well I'm sure Sirius just heard all of that," Draco said, indicating the darker shadow of Sirius standing behind the curtain of willow leaves behind him, "And personally, that's legal enough for me." Draco smiled at him knowingly.

Harry looked up at him, that look of shocked disbelief on his face again, before his face split into the biggest grin Draco had ever seen, and he swept Draco into his arms, making flurries of snow as they turned on the spot in each others arms. Harry pressed his lips to Draco's, his hands not knowing where to hold him, wanting to hold everything all at once, and grinned against his lips before kissing them once again.

Draco felt light headed with happiness. Even though he had to marry Holly, it really didn't matter anymore, because for him, he was already now married to Harry, so a second marriage wouldn't count. He belonged to Harry, he always would, always had, nothing would take him away from him.

He clung to Harry tightly, the few snowflakes that managed to fall through the canopy of leaves twirling around them softly, sheltered in their own little world where nothing mattered but the two of them together.

"Oh!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, and pulled back, rummaging in his pocket again, "I've just remembered." And he pulled out a thin metal chain and held it up to him, "I know you won't be able to wear it on your finger, so I thought you could wear it around your neck, keep it hidden."

Indeed Draco couldn't wear it, he could only wear rings with the family seal on them, and even if he could his mother would soon question as to why he was wearing such a plain and boring ring. Plain it may be, but it had instantly become the best ring out of all the ones he owned.

Harry took the ring from Draco's hand and hooked it through the chain, before leaning around his neck and fastening it at the back, the ring resting on Draco's cloak clasp.

Immediately Draco cupped Harry's neck to keep him from pulling back, and leant in to kiss him, running his tongue softly over Harry's lip before delving inside the mouth he would never grow tired of kissing. This had gone beyond perfect, this was beyond a dream, everything was going right, and at that moment Draco wanted to scream out to the world that he loved Harry, not caring who heard, just so the world could know how happy he was, how in love he was.

If there had been any doubt in his mind about Harry wanting to stay with him, any worry that he was still wondering if he was doing the right thing by doing this to his sister, it disappeared in that moment. He'd never take this ring off, even when asleep he'd where it, and if Holly ever wondered about it? Well, it wasn't her place to ask.

_**30th January 2006**_

Harry felt very strange, walking through the corridors of Hogwarts and being the only one to see Draco walking beside him. It felt even stranger, when people walked straight through Draco, Draco for once not caring as he was just happy to be going anywhere with Harry that didn't involve him running away from him in terror.

After grabbing his long coat, wrapping his scarf loosely around his neck, and shoving his gloves in his coat pocket, Harry had reluctantly followed Draco out his room and down towards the entrance hall, keeping his hands in his pockets at all times, still wary of the spirit walking beside him

But that certain spirit had never been happier before in his afterlife. Here he was, walking with Harry down his old home corridors, after 906 years of waiting to see him again. Even his anger at the twins telling him to lay off for a day had subsided. Harry may be giving him strange looks as they walked, but that didn't matter. Right now Harry was following him, was with him, and that was all that counted.

They headed out the front door, Harry pausing slightly as Draco simply vanished straight through the part way open door he was pushing aside, before shaking aside that troubling image and following the happy Prince out into the courtyard. They headed down the steps and out onto the grass, Harry walking behind Draco as he led the way, watching with raised and curious eyebrows at the fact Draco's feet simply disappeared through the snow where he walked leaving no footprints behind. The sky itself was clear of snow, and they walked in silence, Draco noting how Harry seemed to want to be left in peace. He didn't seem to want to talk, and Draco didn't want to scare him away again, so let him follow him lost in his own thoughts.

Eventually they came down to the old Whomping Willow tree, and this is where Draco stopped.

"Here." He said, looking up the gnarled old branches of the tree that was once at the Lake's shores, though further back now as time had shrunk the Lake and changed the landscape.

Harry stopped, his hands still in his pockets, and stared up at the tree, "What about it?" he asked.

Draco stared at it for a moment longer before looking back at him, "I don't know. I just thought it might, bring back memories or something. Of your life here before." He looked back up at the tree again, "I know it doesn't look much like the tree we knew before. It was young back then, actually had strings of leaves falling into the waters edge, now it's just old."

Harry looked at the huge crooked and knotted trunk of the tree, strips of bark missing from its twisted old branches, and as nothing continued to happen, was feeling more and more sceptical yet again that this was really just an hallucination. It didn't explain the breeze he could feel when Draco touched him, but there must be a logical explanation for that somehow.

But, at least humour him, Harry sighed and walked closer to the tree, "Well maybe if you tell me what actually happen here I might-" but at that moment he tripped over one of the raised old roots hidden under the snow, and he reached out to steady himself against the tree.

But the moment his bare hand touched the trunk, an image flashed brightly and quickly before his eyes. The ghost Draco who had a flash of concern over his face when Harry had tripped, suddenly had a backdrop of green, a green curtain of weeping willow leaves that rustled in the wind letting a few sneaky snowflakes fly through. The look of concern was replaced by a look of curiosity, that soon changed to a look of mild shock as a hand that Harry knew was his own, yet wasn't "his", reached forward and dropped a silver ring onto Draco's hand.

Harry yanked his hand away from the tree trunk as it if it had been burning hot, and the image disappeared instantly. He stumbled backwards, holding his wrist and staring at the tree wildly. "What the hell was that?"

"Did you remember something?" the now ghost Draco asked excitedly, coming up in front of him.

Harry's breath was quick, and he walked backwards a few steps, still staring at the tree, before turning and walking swiftly away from it, heading towards the lake, Draco following curiously behind him. He still held his hand to his chest, and stopped at the frozen waters edge, the snow stomped on where people had been walking, and stared down to the ground as confusing images and feelings swept over his mind like a tidal wave, eyes wide and blinking rapidly.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked cautiously, but Harry continued to stare down, stare anywhere but back at that tree.

"I…I…" Harry tried to say, but his mind felt overwhelmed.

That wasn't a hallucination, that felt far too real to be something his mind had just made up. For that split moment, giving that ring to Draco felt like the most important thing he'd ever done in his life, which was stupid because he'd never given Draco anything! He didn't exist! The hand that had dropped the ring onto Draco's hands was his, same shape, same feel, but he'd never done that, never stood under that tree with Draco, never done anything with Draco except dream about him! It didn't make sense! He didn't understand! His mind was racing! It was worrying and confusing and…

…and it felt so right. So…nice.

He felt like he knew other small things that had happened after that giving of the ring, things that this little flash of memory hadn't actually shown him. Like Draco saying something about a man called Sirius standing behind them, and…and a kiss…a really ecstatically happy kiss, and…

Harry finally looked up at Draco, who was looking at him with concern, and looked towards the metal clasp of his cloak around his neck.

"Where's the ring I gave you?" he asked quietly, finding it strange to hear himself asking such a question.

Draco blinked in surprise, and his hand automatically went up to the clasp at his neck. Harry remembered the ring? His eyes suddenly widened in joy.

"You remember that?" he asked happily.

Harry nodded slowly, still un-sure of himself, but knowing what he was apparently 'remembering' certainly felt real enough. "I put it on a chain didn't I? So you could wear it around your neck?"

Draco grinned, "You did yes," before his grin fell, "But…I lost it."

Harry felt a stab of sorrow hit his stomach, but he didn't quite understand why, "How did you lose it?" he asked.

Draco looked away, his eyes falling on the Lake, odd spots of it frozen. He remembered all too well how he lost it, but it was still one of the last things he had seen before he died. "When I died it…it fell off."

Harry remembered at the weekend Draco telling him he had killed himself, and that stab of sorrow inside him seemed to grow, and the question popped forward before he even thought, "How did you die?" he asked softly.

Draco continued to stare out at the Lake, the snowflakes caught in the gentle breeze floating slowly through his form. "I drowned myself." He said quietly, and Harry's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening. "Right here," Draco continued, before turning to back at Harry and looking at him right in the eyes, his own silver ones tinged with a memory of sorrow, "Holding you."

As silence fell around them, it was at that moment Harry decided Draco was not a hallucination. He couldn't describe why, but he knew, right there, looking back into the eyes of the young man he had dreamt about for so long, the man who had filled his every waking and sleeping moment, he knew with the love he felt for this Prince, that he was real. The ache in his chest at hearing how he died was a feeling so powerful, one he had never experienced, that only knowing how much he had once loved this Prince could possibly have brought forth such a pain.

"I don't remember…" Harry said, finding his throat constricted. He loved this Draco, he may not really remember, but he loved him. He wanted to hold him, wanted to kiss him, wanted to do anything that would wipe away that sadness in Draco's eyes.

Instinctively he raised his hand, knowing he wouldn't be able to touch him, but needing to do something, and gently brushed the back of his fingers over what would have been Draco's cheek. Draco just stood there looking back at him, and as Harry tried to touch him, he just smiled. A sad smile, but a thankful smile too, one that was grateful Harry could see him, even if touching each other was impossible.

"I wanted to stay with you forever that day, when I gave you the ring." Harry said, frowning at these remembered feelings "I don't…really remember images, but I remember what I was feeling, what I felt for you."

Draco's bottom lip seemed to quiver as he smiled again, and before Harry could see him cry, quickly stepped back and raised his own hand to wipe at the tears forming in his eyes. As he did a short sharp and very cold wind blew around them, and for Draco's sake to pretend he hadn't seen the emotion swelling in his eyes, Harry reached into his pockets and brought out his gloves, subtly wiping at his own eyes before putting them on and keeping his hands away from the cold.

Draco felt so happy and so sad at the same time. He'd been alone for so long, yeah the twins were there, but they only contributed the occasional amusement. After 900 years of doing nothing but waiting and remembering his times with Harry, every day that passes getting less and less likely he'd find him, his memories becoming fainter and fainter, to see him finally standing here, looking at him just like his old Harry did, it felt too much. From feeling nothing for so many years, to having Harry back like this was…was just overwhelming. He'd been worth every second of time, every moment of loneliness, just to see him here like this.

This was the beginning of a lot more memories, Draco hoped. Maybe if he told him stories of when they were together, and show him the part of the castle where they had been, it would help him remember. He'd never felt so alive, metaphorically speaking of course.

"Harry," Draco began softly, "That day you gave me that ring…we both felt like nothing would ever go wrong." He paused, "Well, it did go wrong. Horribly wrong," he added quietly, "But that's why I'm here. When I died I was told your soul had been reincarnated. I refused to go to Heaven without you, and chose to stay here on earth as a ghost until I found you again." He watched Harry take all this in, his green eyes bright and clear as he listened, "That was 906 years ago, and I've been waiting ever since. You were everything to me." He looked back down at the frozen waters edge again, "You still are."

"Draco." Harry said quietly, his eyes soft and caring, before he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and sighed, "Look, I don't really get what's going on but…I believe you." Draco looked up at him, and Harry checked with himself once more before continuing, "I believe you and…and I think I want to find out more. I think." He added cautiously, but he couldn't help but smile back when Draco smiled at him warmly.

If he really was a reincarnation, Harry wanted to know everything about his old self. This would certainty take some getting used to, and when the realization would hit him that he really _was_ a reincarnation and was in fact the lover of the once Prince of England, who he was now taking to the ghost of said prince, he suspected he would either laugh or burst into worried tears. But either way, Harry honestly found himself believing Draco, and now suddenly had so many questions for him he wasn't sure where to begin.

He decided to start things off simply. How did they first meet? He stepped towards Draco, intent on asking him, but stopped when something crunched loudly under his foot.

Both Harry and Draco looked down, and saw what looked like a small, dirty piece of pottery, about the size and length of a finger, sticking out from a well-trodden footprint of snow. Harry crouched down curiously to pick it up with his gloved hand.

"What is it?" Draco asked casually, bending down too, but as Harry brushed away the snow and dirt and pulled it out…something else was attached to it.

Harry paused in shock, his heart racing a mile a minute in his chest. Draco stared, wide eyed and unbelieving at what Harry now held in his hand, and couldn't help but take a few steps back away from it.

"Is that…?" Draco began, for it couldn't be what it looked like.

Harry just crouched there, his alarmed eyes staring not at a dirty broken piece of pottery, but the bone of a _real_ finger, muddy and aged, the joint of a second finger hanging precariously off the end of it.

Harry didn't need to look at Draco to know the exact same thought had entered their minds. But that was impossible…

Wasn't it?

_**To Be Continued…**_


End file.
